More than Lovers: Soulmates
by sissou
Summary: Hermione won the trial, Cedric is back and everything seems to be fine for our two lovers. But how a simple question can lead them to a more complicated level of their relationship? This is the sequel to Lover's return Spell. Rated T.  terrible summary
1. Embarrassing question

**Author's note:**** And here is** **officially the beginning of the sequel. I really hope that you'll like that first short chapter: some kind of introduction and context for not to get lost. I don't know where the plot will be going, I count on my characters to give me a clue. ^^ Thanks to all you guys who reviewed on the note and told me they were excited to read the new story: I hope you won't be disappointed.**

**Big thanks to my beta Noora who agreed to go on with me!**

**Rate:**** T because of the language and maybe because of 'adult' content (still not sure about that, tell me what you think, honestly)**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter. Neither the characters. But I own Scott Logan, Aaron McCoy and maybe a few others to come later (who knows).**

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And I did it. I merely watched her gaping face, and just caught a glimpse of her shaking her head and I did it. I dashed out. I ran away, just like a stupid coward.

I don't know if she spoke or called my name. I was just too preoccupied listening to that constant buzz in my head, intensified with the incredible fast heartbeat, that were now making me feel dizzy!

I scurried along the corridors while many students observed me, not this time with that shocked "he's still alive" look, but more like "this guy is a freak!" one. I passed a group of giggling girls and totally ignored their devouring stare all over my skin. Really, that look was just really embarrassing. I felt like I was swaggering naked. I didn't give them the polite smile I usually gave in those circumstances. I just kept running.

The more my footsteps were echoing on the hard ground, the more they made me think of some ticking clock. I felt like they were saying "yes...no...yes...no...no...no...yes?...noooo...".

Why had I been that stupid? I mean, I could have waited, right? This wasn't that urgent! The whole world wasn't going to explode if I hadn't voiced the question...I began to blame myself, playing again and again the scene, the dialogue, my words, and how silly they sounded.

"Hell! I ruined everything!" I mumbled to myself as I thought again of her words. No, not words, babblings. I knew her a lot, I knew her too much: babblings equal 'NO...beat it...I'm not going to change my mind'.

I tucked my hair and sighed. How could I go speak to her now, like nothing happened? Would I just come straight to her and talk about a new spell I've just heard about? Certainly not, she would be eyeing me, if it wasn't with suspicion, it would be with "pity" or embarrassment. Or maybe all three at the same time.

"Shit! Shit! Shit" I grumbled rubbing my neck just when I passed the Hufflepuff's portrait.

"What's going on, pal? You look like you just saw Dumbledore naked!" someone laughed.

I deeply sighed and tilted my head up to look at my best friend.

"Worse, Scott...worse!" I muttered.

My friend swallowed the peanut he was chewing and widened his eyes in shock.

"Merlin!" he shouted, with a horrified yet curious face "You caught both Dumbledore and McGonagall naked! I knew it! I knew there was something between them. I have been noticing their shared vicious glances for so long, now."

I frowned a bit and got curious, ready to ask him what kind of vicious glances he noted exactly between the headmaster and the Gryffindor teacher, but then I remembered the terrible situation I had put myself into a few minutes ago.

I sat on the couch, even if it looked more I was sprawling, and glared at Scott.

"Shut up! I'm really not in the right mood for that at the moment!" I snapped at him "You can cross out the actual date on the calendar for being the day I was the worst jerk ever!"

"Wow, you're getting me worried!" Scott said, swallowing a new fistful of peanuts "Usually, nobody can be a worse jerk than Weasley! So tell me, what happened?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed myself more into the couch.

"I made a mistake" I spoke.

Scott nodded, cringed a bit and leaned in to my direction.

"Does it concern Hermione?" he asked.

I glanced up at him with apparently such a desperate look, that he just took him a couple of seconds to eye me and sigh.

"Of course, it's about her". I pouted and glanced in another direction, feeling a bit nauseous.

"What happened?" my friend urged me.

"I..." I began trailing off. I then put my hand over my face, shamefully trying my best to hide. "I proposed to Hermione".

Scott let slip the peanut he was holding between his two lips and gaped.

"Yeah, that was exactly her reaction" I muttered looking away.

"You proposed!" Scott shouted.

I rolled my eyes.

"Speak louder, please. I think Durmstrang magic school didn't hear you well".

"Bloody hell" Scott continued, ignoring my criticism "I can't believe you did it. What happened exactly?".

I ruffled my hair and sighed glancing up at my best friend.

FLASH-BACK

I was leaning against a wall of the corridor, watching the five-year students leave their classroom. Some walked past me silently, ignoring me now that they got used to spot me here every week, and still in flesh. Some other girls politely smiled at me. I smiled back as I impatiently tapped my foot against the floor. Why of all these people, my girlfriend should always be the last one to get out of the classroom?

Hermione finally passed the door, chatting with Ginny about the lesson.

"Hi, Cedric!" Ginny greeted, with a friendly grin.

"Hi yourself! How are you?" I asked as I grabbed Hermione's pile of books (something I had gotten used to doing since I realized I could never stop her from borrowing plenty of tomes at the same time).

"I'm fine. I'll leave you two alone" she quickly said, waving at Hermione and running after the Gryffindor girls.

I turned and tenderly kissed Hermione's cheek.

"I guess you want to have lunch in the park, right?" she said, with a huge grin.

"Just like usual. It's our thing now" I answered with a proud face.

Hermione nodded and held my free hand, intertwining our fingers. Since Hermione had been authorized to walk without her stick, holding hands had become a reflex. A very pleasant reflex, maybe even a whim. Actually, one of the reasons why I was always holding Hermione's books was because I would be free to get a possessive grip of her hand whenever I'd want to. Except that good point of walking without support, Hermione was still brooding around, complaining about the fact she still couldn't use magic, her body not being strengthened enough yet.

We got rid of her books a few minutes later in the Gryffindor tower before getting to the Great Hall.

"Wait here, okay?" she said as she quickly walked along the tables. I watched her pick a few sandwiches, fruits and cakes, as Harry friendly greeted me with a wave from his seat.

I waved back and noted that Hermione's features were tensed now, as she was listening to Weasley. Seeing his pout and the weird moves of his grumbling mouth, I quickly jumped on the conclusion he was on his 'criticize Cedric' hour. Always hanging out with Hermione soon helped me to recognize Ronald's multiple moods. With me around, the most of them consisted to criticize me, criticize our relation, blame her for being candid and unable to perceive my naughty expectations, complain to Harry...

"Ron, shut it!" I thought I lip-read her saying, when she caught the last chicken leg her red-haired friend was about to swallow.

"This one is for Cedric. He likes chicken" she exclaimed.

"Doesn't he have his own table to eat on?" Ronald yelped, chewing bread.

Hermione shrugged and quickly came back to me.

"Lunch is ready!" she spoke.

I chuckled and leaned in to peck her lips.

"Thanks for the chicken" I murmured after pulling back.

After lunch, we remained sitting on the grass, both leaning against the big oak of the park.

I began to nervously nibble my thumb, thinking more and more of the idea I have been musing over for the past few weeks.

"Snape gave us the most difficult work ever. And he did it just to get me on edge" Hermione spoke with an outraged voice "He told me he's sure it's me. He's sure I got no choice to steal some Life Essence from him to make the potion if I did want it to work. And now, he wants to get revenge!"

Just after the trial, Snape had actually walked straight to Hermione, gently yet unwaveringly accused her for penetrating his office to steal some Life Essence, something that actually happened, but that we both decided to keep hidden from Dumbledore and the teachers. Since then, he never stopped to spy on our every move, always looking for a detail to come down on us.

"Yes, but he doesn't have any proof. He's just speculating." I tried to soothe her.

"He's not only speculating, Cedric. He's right. And he's never going to give up on this that easily!"

I smiled and leaned in towards her, cupping her face as I traced soft circles on her cheekbones. That's when I decided to get slowly on the subject. There was no need to shock her, right?

"Hermione, there's something I'd like to talk about with you" I said with a calm tone.

"And he said he would put me in detention if I got late again to his classroom. That stupid Malfoy came five minutes after me, and he earned a smile from him!" she continued, nervously chewing her bottom lip.

"I know that's not something common" I went on, keeping my voice low.

"Oh Merlin. I hate Malfoy. I hate him so bad. I wish I could..."

"Marry him!" I exclaimed with a loud voice, finally changing my move and deciding to get straight to the point. Hermione widened her eyes in shock as I mentally slapped my forehead when I thought of the words that just came out of my mouth and shook my head. "Not, that's not what I mean. Not Malfoy...Snape..."

I stammered, feeling more and more confused and confusing. All that Malfoy/marriage talking had led me to an incredible new sentence.

"Hell" I muttered to myself "I mean, marry me. Me, of course me, and not that stupid Malfoy or...old Snape."

Hermione furrowed her brow and eyed me like if I was crazy. And I probably was. How could I, in such a moment, have been able to mix up Malfoy and me? And that was just a mad and unhealthy thing to confuse with Snape just after that!

She brushed back her hair with her fingers. And that's when she began to babble.

"Cedric...Marrying Malf..you...but...I don't...and what if?...Are you sure you..."

And I didn't wait for more, that's when I ran off. I was now probably nominated and winner of the award for the worst proposal ever! God bless me!

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**So, your first impressions?**


	2. Romeo sucks, Juliet rules!

**Author's note:**** OMG, 11 reviews for the first chapter. I made a better start than with **_**Lover's return Spell.**_** I'm so glad and relieved now that I read all these positive feedbacks! Thanks to all of you, non registered people included (of course!)...Here is the second chapter. Hope you'll like it. Let me know, please! I need to know so that I can keep on this way or change a couple of things before it's too late. **

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I officially finished the last sentence of my story when a long silence leisurely settled down in the room. I actually got to look up to get a sight of my best friend (obviously I had been swallowed by the couch). Scott blinked twice and bit his lip hard.

He then had that weird reaction to glance all around him like searching an escape to dash for if need be. I frowned at him as I impatiently waited for a reaction from him: he was my best friend, after all. Wasn't it his job to support me and help me out? Scott kept his mouth carefully closed just when some kind of roaring echoed in the back of his throat. He didn't wait for more and opened his mouth to let it out in the form of loud laughter. His laughing encircled the whole room as a heavy tear fell down his cheek. This vision had the knack to make my blood boil.

"Shut up!" I snapped at him with an unexpected anger, combining shame and annoyance.

Scott, who was laughing his head off like an idiot, got quiet in no time and stared at me with an inflexible straight face.

"Hmm sorry, mate" he cleared his throat and then got an embarrassed face "this is so bad. And I totally approve your reaction".

I listened to his stupid words that were supposed to sound reassuring.

"You're a terrible liar, today." I huffed working with my fingers on the fabric of the couch "Just get to it!"

Scott pouted. "You sure you want to hear what I think about it? And I mean all of it?"

"Just spit it out" I surrendered shrugging "Hermione is now probably thinking I'm a jackass. I have nothing to lose, just please, say it in one go and don't spare me, that's my only favor!"

Yeah, I probably sounded terrible, something like a guy ready to commit suicide and asking someone to throw the rock knotted to his ankle right into the water. But I had nothing to lose now. I'd better hear the truth from my friend than from the girl I was in love with. Besides that, the more Scott would ruin my day, the less I would feel hurt by Hermione's coming words.

"Ced" my friend began, shaking his head "First, this is probably the most ridiculous proposal ever! Confusing yourself with Malfoy, then Snape, that's a great job! Second point: running away was the worst thing to do. If now Hermione doesn't think you're an idiot, she must be very blindly into you. And third: why the hell did you have to propose? You're not that much in a hurry, right? Okay, I know you died and everything, but come on, you have all the time in the world now! It's not like she was going to run away -even though now, she must be probably far away from the country-. Dude, you did some mistakes in the past, but now you're just a winner of your category! So many claptraps in one lunch hour, you must be exhausted, because you worked yourself to death! And don't count on Hermione to bring you back this time!"

Scott was alternating from snickering, sighs, and pouts. After his long gut-wrenching speech I glared at him.

"Hey, you were supposed to not spare me, I didn't ask you to squash me!" I complained, still shocked by his words.

Scott laughed a bit then squeezed my forearm.

"You're usually such a thoughtful and perfect guy, I couldn't let go the opportunity to put you down!"

I furrowed my brows as his features tensed and his eyes darkened.

"Only I can do that. The person who just dares to voice the five first words of my fantastic speech wouldn't even get the chance to end up at the Hospital Wing!" I slightly smiled, as I watched my friend shoot his famous threatening stare all around the empty room. That's when a nice first-year student walked down the stairs and got shot down by the killing glare Scott was still holding, like if he had just broken the precious rule just by passing by here. The poor boy gulped and even shivered a bit as he staggered all the way across the room, until he finally broke free by passing the exit door. Scott's behavior and the young Hufflepuff terrified face made a sincere smile appear on my face.

"Okay, I think the first-year boy got the message" I chuckled a bit.

Scott exposed his proudest grin as he waggled onto the couch.

"Okay your fantastic speech and your official threat won't change anything. Hermione still probably thinks I'm stupid!"

"Can I ask you a question?" Scott asked rubbing his chin "Why did you ask her to marry you?"

I sighed and glanced away a couple of seconds before sitting back straight faced to my friend.

"Scott. I love her" I honestly spoke. "I'm desperately in love with her and I'm unable to find a good way to show it to her. I don't expect you to understand me, but marriage was the only thing that sounded good enough".

I tucked my hair as I thought of all the other alternatives.

"Hermione isn't like the other girls. She doesn't care about flowers and presents like jewelry. So I thought that maybe she..."

"...she would love to carry a golden ring to her finger" Scott finished with a playful smirk.

I let out a deep sigh, kind of desperate to see that my friend wasn't helping.

"Cedric. Hermione would get very upset if she learns that the only reason you proposed was because you were too desperate not to find a better gift".

I began to appreciate the new bend this conversation was taking. It was a real relief to actually discuss my lately issues with somebody and not to only turn them down in my mind.

"I'm not desperate" I responded "I don't want to marry Hermione because I ran out of gifts idea. I won't change my mind. I know she's the right girl."

"And she knows you're the right boy, too. But that doesn't mean you two have to make an eight-kid family before the end of this week. Why the hurry?"

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I had questioned myself about it a thousand times and the same answer was always popping up in my head. Could I fight my own fears and what I have learned for the last months?

"So what must I do now?" I asked, skipping the question.

Scott smirked and pouted his lips.

"You...have to take the responsibility of your actions and go talk to her. It's the only way to make things clear. Listen to what she has to say and try to understand her point of view". I opened my mouth to protest, when he hushed me with a wave "I know you won't change your mind. But first follow my advice, and then we'll go to plan B".

"What is plan B?" I asked, curious.

"Surprise" he murmured, wiggling his eyebrows.

The next day, I was sitting on the same couch, staring at the articles of the Daily Prophet, but not technically reading them when I heard Scott run down the stairs.

"Okay, now come on" he exclaimed grabbing my arm "we're both going to meet your more-than-a-simple-girlfriend-but-not-your-official-wifey-yet".

"No, not now!" I yelped "She's going to laugh at me, and I couldn't even blame her for doing that! It's too soon".

"Too soon?" Scott snickered "She now must be thinking you died -again!-, it's been three days. I think she has tamed the helpless fit of laughter since then".

Three days! Wow, I should really work on my perception of time. Dying tends to give you a whole new sight of it: day by day, you don't count hours anymore. Every single second, minute, hour, day confound and become a total fog. After an endless moment of trying to see clear, you just surrender and agree to walk through it; hopelessly wishing you would quickly get away from that confusing sad mist.

"Scott. I can't! I won't be able to look at her, not after those three days I've been missing".

My friend was now dragging me to the portrait. I stopped and showed my best stubborn face.

Scott tapped his foot against the floor.

"You know it's also been three days now that the red-head has been getting around Hermione, just like a vulture fly around its prey!"

My blood boiled, my heartbeat took a whole new speed and my face burned with anger.

"Bloody bastard!" I grumbled, keeping the rest of my cursing for myself.

Scott grinned as I burst out of the Hufflepuff tower and he soon had to run to get to my side. This brat was always bugging me. He wasn't missing an occasion to get closer to Hermione. Even though I had been clear enough with Weasley the last day of her trial, the boy was still trying my patience. But since he had realized I couldn't theorically kill him off because of Hermione, I felt like Weasley was playing Quidditch with my nerves. Every time he was whispering something at her, or touching her shoulder, or intentionally asking for her help because of a work (sometimes even the cheapest ones) when she was spending some private time with me, well all these times I felt like he was hitting my ball of nerves like as if they were vulgar bludgers!

And now the boy was taking advantage of my absence to flirt around! I was sure he was working his way through his head to set her against me. I couldn't let him win that easily.

Scott and I soon reached the main corridor and I caught a glimpse of my girl. It was hard not to spot her; she was just the most beautiful female student of that dull corridor. Her long curly honeyed hair was falling down her back as she was chatting with Harry.

"Okay, go straight to her. Speak frankly and please try not to say the words 'Malfoy' or 'Snape'" my friend advised as he was now pushing me from behind.

I didn't roll my eyes at his words; I was just too busy freaking out about me talking with Hermione.

Scott shot a quick glance at the corridor on the left and suddenly quickened our pace.

"And..." he trailed off with quite a hurried and distracted tone "life is good. Doing good is important, doing harm is wrong. And help out needy people blablabla..."

I gaped and deeply furrowed my brows at his sudden classical lesson. Actually that was the kind of speech he was using every time he wanted to end a conversation and buzz off.

"Hey, you're not leaving me! You said you..." I didn't have time to finish that, Scott was already running in the opposite direction.

I was tempted to leave too but when I turned, I automatically made eye contact with big brown eyes. I breathed in and walked to her direction.

"Hi, Cedric" Harry friendly greeted me. I would have really, really, wanted to give him a quick glance but I was just incapable of breaking eye contact with Hermione.

Harry soon invented an excuse to walk off (something I felt incredibly grateful for) and left as he didn't earn even a proper glance from one of us. I was too preoccupied to admire her soft features I realized I have been missing for the last three days, and she was eyeing me with a mix of confusion, anger and embarrassment.

"So, you're back!" her anger spoke first.

I merely nodded as we both made our way outside the castle. Actually, seeing her was just so pleasant that I totally forgot all about my irresponsible attitude. She was there by my side and that's it.

When we reached an isolated place of the park, she turned to face me with a worried face.

"You're mad at me, right?" she said.

I almost laughed at her words.

"What? No! You know I can't do that!" I had to admit I was getting exasperated. I had told her so many times that I could never hold a grudge against her, that I was wondering what part of that statement she didn't understand exactly.

"Good" she spoke nodding with a calm voice. She remained hesitant a few seconds, like musing over something, then suddenly stood on her tiptoes, crushing with a delicacy only she had the secret to, her lips with mine. I immediately kissed her back and locked my arms around her thin waist, pulling her closer to me as she cupped my face. Her lips were soft, like my personal greed: something I could never stop being addicted to.

She finally pulled away but kept on cupping my jaw line.

"So, you're not angry?" I murmured.

"I'm furious" she answered with an inappropriate serene voice as her fingertips stroked my skin "We need to talk".

I closed my eyes a couple of seconds and sighed.

"I knew this was too easy" I spoke with a low voice "Okay, I apologize for my behavior. I didn't have to run away like this, and I shouldn't have asked you this question that way!"

Hermione let go her hands off my face and nodded.

"Thanks for apologizing that quickly. Usually I have to work so hard on Harry and Ron just to get a proper grumbled sorry" she said with a little smile. She then nibbled her bottom lip when she considered all the words of my sentence. "Wait a second," she spoke up " 'that way' means you don't go back on your proposal?"

I had to admit I felt a bit hurt by her reluctant tone.

"No. And don't count on me to apologize about that, too" I responded.

Hermione cleared her throat and nervously ran her fingers through her hair.

"Cedric. We are so young, marriage is not even something we really understand" she tried to temper the whole thing "You need to be sure before getting engaged. Be sure of your feelings and don't have any doubt, then you can ask me this question again".

I chuckled, genuinely amused by her explanation.

"Honey, I am super freaking sure of my feelings. If you really think I proposed in a surge of enthusiasm, then I must say I'm wounded" I answered.

"And I love you, too" Hermione quickly chimed in "but getting married is not my priority. We're still so young, and so many people are just waiting for us to do a mistake to attack us. We cannot allow to flag, now"

"To flag!" I exclaimed "Because getting married is considered like a weakness, now. I didn't know I had remained dead that long!"

"Cedric, don't you begin to dwell on my every word" Hermione threatened "I can't get married, I just don't want to. You may be sure, but I'm sorry I'm not. And this has nothing to do with my feelings for you. That's just...me". She watched me furrow my brows and her look softened. "Please, don't hate me. I'm asking you for time."

I sighed and remained quiet a few long seconds that obviously were getting her crazy. Were we really that hurried to get married? Certainly not. She was probably right, we couldn't just get engaged and wait for our enemies to shoot us down! This was irrational and quite stupid. I've never liked _Romeo & Juliet_, I've never understood this idea to fall for someone in one night, and then to get married the day after. To be honest, Scott and I both laughed a lot at the end of the story: their death wasn't just predictable, it was a real relief. Like a necessity for all Verona welfare. Two kids that stupid could just both end in a gravestone. And now, here I was playing Romeo, ready to make the same mistakes than him. Lucky me, my Juliet was cleverer: I still have a chance to survive death (once again!).

But that didn't mean I would surrender. I needed her to say yes, even if we would have to wait a few years before officially getting married.

"Don't worry" I muttered "even though I wanted to hate you, it just wouldn't work".

Hermione gave me my favorite smile, the one I couldn't resist (and she knew that well).

"So the discussion is over?" she asked tracing soft circles on my knuckles.

I shrugged and tried my best to act the inflexible guy face to her flirty attitude.

"Technically, no. We both haven't changed our mind" I spoke.

"Because we're two insufferable jennies. How can we bear each other?" she teased, now intertwining our fingers and eyeing me with a mix of innocent and goo-goo eyes. This girl was genuinely attractive.

"You're wrong" I began to crack up as I was now only focusing on the shivers her skin contact was causing to me "I'm always the one who gives up".

She didn't have time to add something because I smirked and firmly grabbed her wrist to pull her to me. I leaned in and endlessly pecked her lips, each time with more tenderness and desire.

"Look what you made of me!" I whispered between two kisses, with the most unconvincing complaining tone.

"Oh, poor you!" Hermione laughed before holding my chin and kissing my lips.

Okay, I had lamentably lost that fight, but I wasn't giving up. I will make Hermione Jane Granger mine...


	3. Rilvaries

**Author's note****: sorry for the delay, guys. Big big thanks for your fantastic reviews! You make me want to write more and more chapters to this sequel! Nothing really happens in this chapter, I hope you'll like it, though. **

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Hermione and I slowly made our way back to the castle. We hadn't officially stepped in the corridor when Scott joined us.

"Hi guys" he greeted us with a big hypocritical grin.

I politely greeted him back with a killing glare and even a mouthed swear word. Scott shrugged and got at her side.

"You look great this morning Hermione," he began with a confident tone "charming, beautiful, dazzling, cleverer than never, self-confident, powerful, ready to fight the whole world and..."

"...and I won't repeat to you what I said to Cedric, sorry" Hermione finished with a smirk.

"Oh damn it!" Scott pursed his lips as he punched his own palm. "This is so unfair. Cedric won't even give me all the details of your talking. Please, were you harsh? Did you humiliate him? Oh Merlin...Did he cry?"

His last question made me furrow my brows.

"Come on, are you my friend or my enemy?" I asked incredulous.

Scott snickered and put his arm around my girl's shoulders.

"Today, I'm only Hermione's friend" he purred with a grin "And we're going to have a lot of fun. I'm just going to let my feminine side express. We're going to make some girly stuff, you know, like speak about make-up and cute boys from Hufflepuff, enlace our hair, read a book, and talk about our boyfriend who just proposed..."

Hermione cringed.

"Only the book part sounded interesting" she spoke.

"Hermione, you're not funny" Scott complained, as he slipped his arm off her "Come on, you're a girl, why don't you try to act like one?"

"Forget about make-up and braided hair. Come on Scott, you're a boy, why don't you try to act like one?" Hermione retorted with a devilish smirk.

She quickly glanced at me and we both burst into laughter. Unfortunately, this happy moment quickly got crashed.

"What are you still doing here? Our next class will soon start" Ronald grumbled as he came up to us, prodigiously doing like Scott and I weren't even there.

Hermione nodded, and then quickly turned to me. She got on her tiptoes and pecked my cheek.

"See you later, okay?" she whispered.

I nodded with a smile and shot a brief glance at Scott who quickly got the message. He grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her ahead with him.

"By the way, I wanted to ask you something about something" I heard him say as he led her a few paces away.

I kept the urge to roll my eyes at Scott's interjection, as I turned and faced Ronald with a firm look. He slowed down and tried to circle me still ignoring me.

"Maybe you don't see me, but I'm keeping a close eye on you" I slurred forcing eye contact between us "This is my last warning, keep a reasonable distance with her. You may be her best friend but she's mine. Don't dare to try to take her from me".

Okay, I wasn't beating around the bush, I must confess.

"Or what?" Ron finally spoke staring at me with a defiant look "The ministry is still spying on every one of your moves. Besides that, you won't risk anything that could get Hermione mad at you".

I had to admit, his despising and even mocking tone had the knack to make me want to slam him against the wall. His innuendo about me being Hermione's puppet was very insulting. Of course, I hated to have an argument with her, just like any other boyfriend with his girl; I don't see what's making me look more fearful or cowardly just because I was trying not to hurt her feelings. His attacks had the knack to make me sound more threatening and mean.

"If you really count on the ministry and Hermione to keep you safe, you're tragically wrong" I retorted. "Maybe Hermione will be mad, but she loves me, and I will always find a way to make her come back. You think that I won't touch you because of her, but don't forget I'd agree to get her angry against me a couple of weeks if that can make you take a big step backward."

Ronald held his firm gaze, I felt like he was begging me to beat him up, and walked off a few seconds later.

Really, I hated to be that threatening. I was always known to be a polite and wise boy, but concerning girls I've always been possessive. I couldn't just let that stupid kid get around the only girl I've ever loved that much and even smile at me when doing it! Okay I am the oldest one, I know I'm supposed to be patient and everything, but I've really tried to be for the past weeks. The boy couldn't just miss the tiniest opportunity to piss me off. Besides that, it's not like I was planning to kill him off in an isolated corridor of the castle during the night, but Weasley is such a narrow-minded jenny, that getting to that pathetic level of threat sounded like the best way to calm his hormones down.

I sighed, feeling a bit as immature and stupid as him when Scott walked back towards me.

"Did he freak out?" he asked me, crossing his arms over his chest into the most conspiracy-ing tone.

"We'll see that soon" I answered.

"Don't worry. I think he got the message, I even shot him my famous killing glare when walking back to you".

I shook my head and snickered.

My friend remained quiet a couple of seconds (the best he could ever reach) and finally opened the mouth.

"So she said no, didn't she?" he asked biting his lip.

"She said she doesn't feel ready" I said with a low voice, rubbing my neck, feeling at last uncomfortable about her answer just a long time after she actually voiced it. Even though I wasn't feeling technically depressed, her determined opinion concerning that question was hurting me a little bit. I felt like her saying no was kind of making her doubt about her deep feelings about me. I was sure she loves me, but were her feelings as strong as mine? To her, were they worth marriage?

"And you sure that's what you want?" Scott asked staring at me with an unusual grave look.

"Yes" I sighed.

"Hmm" Scott began to muse "well, it's time to go to our long-awaited plan B".

I nodded and turned to my friend.

"Okay, I'm in. What's your plan B?" I spoke with quite a resigned face.

"Operation Convince the girlfriend" Scott exclaimed holding his hand "We'll make her give in together".

I pouted, and then considered that brooding around her answer wasn't the best solution to make her change her mind. Besides that, it's not like I was risking to lose something...it was just an innocent try.

I nodded and held my hand up to slap his palm.

Scott had that unexpected smut look, the kind of look that reminded me that probably the only reason Scott was agreeing to help me in my desperately stupid attempt to get my girlfriend to marry me was because it was like getting back to a past time, before my lethal accident. Before the last task, we both used to make that kind of sealing to help out the other at hitting on a girl, or cheating during an exam, or secretly pissing off Snape. Whatever the matter, we weren't missing an opportunity to seal a pact and make it work together. Now that I was actually back, I assume my best friend wouldn't reject any idea of mine, no matter how unreasonable it can be, because it was our way to get over those nine months I've been missing.

Speaking about missing...

"You're an insufferable deserter. You forsook me when you had promised me you would come along with me before!" I yelped smacking his shoulder.

Scott got serious in no time, getting into his best 'critical moment' face.

"Ced, you had to do this by yourself" he spoke with a grave look "You got to face your girlfriend and your mistakes to understand where you did wrong so that you would play a better card in another similar situation. That's how life works."

I frowned a bit then smiled a sincere grin.

"You're probably right" I spoke, forgetting everything about his betrayal "Well, thanks".

Scott nodded and smiled too.

"Quickie over. Now lovebirds can get back to their classes" a voice spoke.

We turned with a smirk, both recognizing the voice's owner.

"Always such a radiant person, right McCoy?" Scott teased before sharing a quiet snicker with me.

Aaron turned around to face us with a neutral, yet straight face.

"I see you're still spreading out your wisdom with us people. Try not to blind us all with your light" he answered with an irony I've always known about him "Now, get to your classes".

He stared at Scott a long time before quickly glancing at me.

"Detention won't be funny Scott, I'm sure Diggory agrees with that".

Scott got offended.

"What the hell makes you think he's less enthusiastic to be put in detention than me?" he exclaimed.

Aaron smirked for the first time since the beginning of this talking.

"I assume he better wants to spend his free time with his girlfriend. But if you feel more 'enthusiastic' at the idea to watch me collect the reports, then please join me. I'm sure it won't bother your lady that much..."

I discreetly covered my mouth with my fist and looked down at the floor after sharing an amused glance with Aaron. Scott remained strangely quiet, not responding to anything as McCoy gave his back to us and walked off the corridor.

I tried to hold back my laughter just when Scott pursed his lips and bravely flipped him the bird.

His last action had the same effect as if he had tickled my throat: I let out my uncontrollable laughter.

"I must admit he has the gift to find people's weak point" I breathed out between two giggles.

"Hell he doesn't" Scott shouted, outraged like hurt into his manhood "I can find a girl whenever I want. Say it, I can".

I stopped laughing just when he hit my chest with a sway of his hand.

"Of course, you can" I said with straight face and voice, immediately dropping my mocking face.

Scott chewed his bottom lip a couple of seconds.

"I hate McCoy" he announced with a killing glare before walking up the corridor "And I hate you too for laughing at his stupid joke".

I smiled and ran to get at his sides.

"I think he was quite funny though" I chimed in, deliberately provoking him.

"Shut up" he muttered.

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**Please, honestly, tell m what do you think of Cedric's behaviour with Ron. Is he wrong to threat him that way or do you like that rivalry? If you like it, I'll write more about them. And little question (even if I'm pretty sure of your answers): who is your favorite character and why?**


	4. Coward revenge

**Author's note:**** Hello guys! I am soooo sorry for this huge delay. You must hate me, and I totally get that...I was so busy with school, homeworks, and stuff; and then I lost inspiration, I had to wait a bit because I didn't want to publish a super-tiny paragraph! Anyway here is the new chapter: hope you didn't forget all the plot and what happened before. Now that I can have some free time, I'll try to post soon. :)**

**Big big thanks to all of you and all the alerts: I really appreciate it!**

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The next morning, I was taking my breakfast in the Great Hall with the other Hufflepuffs. Scott was still grumbling about Aaron's comment the day before. I was smiling, still amused by the scene and didn't even try to calm my friend down. As much as I knew, I was sure there was no point at trying to reassure him. You would just have to shut up and let him grumble and swear until he would find the next joke to tell.

After ten minutes, Hermione finally came in the Hall. I must say, she lightened my day with the smile she gave me then. She then took a seat on the Gryffindor table, in front of Ron, who was grumbling too.

"Oh Merlin!" Scott stopped after a new remark against McCoy "Ced, do I really look like Weak-ley when I'm grumbling?"

I snickered and put my glass down on the table.

"Maybe a little bit" I answered "but its okay, go on. What did you want to say?"

Scott shrugged.

"You know what? You cut me off in midstream. I don't find any comfort with my rumbling anymore, satisfied?"

We both got distracted by a conversation between Hermione and Ronald that was getting more and more enlivened. His cheeks were red with anger, she was huffing or gaping: no doubt they were getting into a fight.

Harry was shyly eating his cake, hiding as much as possible behind his hand.

And then came my dilemma: should I intervene and help my girlfriend, or should I be discreet and play like nothing was happening? I nervously began to tap my fingers against the wooden table as I thought more and more of the idea to stand up.

"He what?" I heard Hermione shout.

In the time it took me to blink she turned around, shooting me a lethal death glare.

She then stood and walked across the Hall never breaking eye contact with me. Maybe she was just leaving the room...

"Cedric Diggory" Hermione yelled as she stood just in front of me. She pointed her "to kill" finger at me (the biggest proof she was angry). "You really threatened my friend to hit him just because he's talking to me?"

Oh. Crap. !

Scott slightly whistled and turned his back at me in proof of his support. "Girls stuff" I heard him mumble before literally driving a toast right into his mouth when Hermione shot him the glare she has been keeping for me since the beginning.

"I can't believe you did this" she said crossing her arms "Are you twelve or do you think I'm your game?"

Hearing the way she spat the word "game" and seeing how she pursued her lips when saying it, I concluded it would be best for my sake to answer that I was completely immature.

"I never imagined such a thing coming from you!" she huffed and turned to point her finger at the devil. "Stay away from him. Whether you want it or not, he will always remain at my side. So you better start fancying him!"

I didn't move an inch during all her speech, shocked and taken by surprise.

She walked away from the table and left the Hall.

The Hufflepuffs around the table embarrassingly cleared their throat and started to chat as if nothing had happened.

I rubbed my neck and looked at the other side of the room: Ron was staring at me with a devilish content smile.

"That little ..." Scott muttered while I was still blinking.

"I can't believe he told her" I whispered "I mean, what kind of average guy would rat such a thing to the girl?"

"Let's ruin his life" my friend spat "Please, now I'm taking it personally, you know. Let me squash that head of his and erase his stupid smirk. And you know how much I need to take it out on somebody, right?"

"Oh please, let me concentrate" I answered.

"There's nothing to concentrate about! You're always thinking too much. We need to get physical. Do you think if we throw him into a well, someone will even realize he disappeared?" he began to muse.

I held my glare up at Ronald and bit my lip. He was provoking me by getting Hermione involved; he sure had just made me an official declaration.

"War has just begun" I mumbled.

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And war had started, maybe not yet between Ron and me officially, but between Dolores Umbridge -and all the ministry- and the students.

Harry was still giving lessons to anyone who had decided that they didn't want to be manipulated by Umbridge's empty classes.

Hermione was feeling a bit guilty as far as I know, being busy with me when I was a ghost, then when preparing the potion, and with her coma and the trial, she hadn't had time to get some practice and support her best friend.

Now that she had resolved all these issues, she had felt so glad to finally be in one of those who would fight against the ministry and Voldemort...but then she remembered she wasn't still allowed to use magic.

She had grumbled, even held back a sob, but soon had promised me she wouldn't risk any spell during Harry's lessons, and that she would only be observing, giving some help when asked for.

I had officially joined Dumbledore's army a few days after the trial, and I used to accompany Hermione each time. Scott, finding in it a way to have some fun, and take revenge on the Pink Toad, had soon come as well.

Today, Harry was giving an hour-lesson, and I hesitantly walked along the corridor, thinking all the good ways to get to talk to my girlfriend.

"She's mad, just drop this idea, and give her some time" Scott spoke up.

"Why?" I said "I want to speak with her, hear her voice, even if that means being given a roasting once again."

My friend frowned, quite unable to understand my way of thinking.

"What for?" he exclaimed "You did nothing wrong! The prat is wooing your girl; you can't be expected to give him some time to improve himself".

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Technically, he didn't woo her. He's just..." I tried to find the best words to qualify the situation. I groaned in despair. "...he's just too much there. Too much of Ronald Weasley in that castle: there's not enough space to get some fresh air after seeing his face".

Scott laughed that laugh which was clearly saying "You have no idea how much you're right" then skipped the subject.

"I can't wait to be taught new spells. I'm going to belt McCoy" he snickered with a mischievous look.

"You know you're not supposed to use those spells against your schoolmates, right? That is some kind of D.A.D.A class."

"Hmm...oui!" he answered with a high-pitched voice, supposedly using a French accent.

When we reached the big wall, I clearly thought of the room and saw the big doors appear.

"How is that possible? You have no problem calling for the room?" my friend asked.

"I came here once with Hermione" I answered with a smug smile.

Scott's eyes opened wide, and I thought for a second, they were just going to fall out of their sockets. I had a great pleasure walking past him to open the door and let him think of many explanations and circumstances about how we had both gotten there.

Students were already casting spells, Harry watching them as serious and meticulous as a teacher. He really was doing a great job, taking all this very seriously, trying to make it worthy of Dumbledore.

Like usual when I was around, a lot of them stared at me, as if they were realizing again and again that I was back. I slowly walked past them, and stood by the corner of the room.

Ginny casting a patronus spell caught my attention: a bright, yet, almost invisible light flied in the room before fading away just after that. She sighed in frustration and nervously scratched her neck.

"You're doing great" I said without moving from my spot with a friendly smile on my face "It's just a matter of time".

Ginny felt a bit embarrassed at first and pouted a bit then.

"You're probably right" she said with a little smile "you're the biggest proof that time and magic can make it work".

And it made me felt embarrassed as well. I gave her a nod, feeling grateful for her tolerance and for always sympathizing with me.

"I agree" a soft voice said. Ginny turned on her heels, getting back to her practice. I slowly turned around and saw Hermione, staring at me with a mix of tenderness and confusion.

I babbled a bit, now preparing to voice my apologies with best words, but considering them all bad and pathetic.

"I'm sorry" we both spoke up.

I smiled a bit and watched her nibble her bottom lip.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper. You're my boyfriend, and it's totally normal you feel a bit angry or jealous when a boy gets around me. Ron is my best friend, but I'm also dating you: I have to accommodate to both of you. I also know Ronald is not perfect: to be honest, I hated the fact he reported your conversation without hesitation. He's immature and I have no right to ask you to constantly let it go" she said all this in one-go, then breathed in.

I shook my head, so amused by her behavior and tried my best to hide my smile.

"Anyway please..."she continued with a sigh, like giving up "...try not to tear you're heads off! I'll still be watching you two, but for now I just don't want to interfere anymore."

My hand reached for hers and I tenderly squeezed it, feeling quite content and satisfied.

"Thank you for making the first move" I whispered.

Now, no matter how much Ron would say I'm scared of getting Hermione angry, I would know we'll both always try to fix things together, trampling our hurt feelings and pride.


	5. Jealousy and Complication

**Author's note:**** As I promised here is the next chapter. This one is a bit longer than the last one, but I promise I'll do better the next time. I wish you Merry Chritsmas and a Happy New Year if I don't find time to update until then.**

**Hope you'll like it and thanks for reading.**

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We were still standing by not far from the students practicing their magic, when Hermione slowly held my hand and led me through the others to a more isolated part of the room. The sound of the spells and people speaking faded a bit, yet we could still hear some words.

Hermione turned her attention to the center of the room and observed the training with a bit of envy. Ronald was working on blocking an Everte Statim spell: I hated admitting he was doing it well.

"Don't worry" I smiled getting back on her "You'll soon catch up".

She made her best perfunctory smile and nodded.

"Mrs. Pomfrey said it could take a while before I totally recover from the spell. Dumbledore assured me I would soon be able to use magic even if he never says when" she paused and breathed in. I kept silent, unable to find the good words to reassure her in that one specific point. Speaking of her sacrifice to bring me back was still a sensitive subject I never tried to get on; more than that I knew Hermione wasn't expecting any reaction or words from me. It was some of those sentences she was voicing just to share her thought without waiting for me to reassure her.

"Anyway, don't you want to practice?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Not today" I answered "I better observe a bit before getting into it!"

Hermione hold back laughter.

"Is it because of me, perhaps?"

I made my best offended face.

"I'm outraged!" I exclaimed "Do you think my entire world revolves around you? I have my own life, you know, and I'm fine with it!"

Hermione was now amused as she slowly brushed back some of her locks, quite embarrassed, shameful about having thought I could give her all my attention. Oh my dear Hermione, if she could only have an idea of how much she was right!

She shyly looked away and cleared her throat, waiting for what she believed being a mistake to be forgotten. I admired her simplicity and her inappropriate embarrassment a couple of seconds.

"Are you mad?" she finally asked, carefully watching me.

"Yes, I am" I answered with a smile "I was kidding. Of course I better stay standing here doing nothing than practice, because you're with me. And yes...my whole world revolves around you".

Hermione laughed (must I precise it lightened all the room more than all the spells that were being casted at that precise second?) and grabbed my hand, brushing my palm with her fingers.

A bit confused, she quickly looked back at Harry and the other students who were still practicing, all their backs at us.

"What is it?" I asked with a low voice and with a completely innocent tone.

"It's just I..." she mumbled nervously nibbling her bottom lip "I-I wish I could kiss you now, but I don't want the others to think we're some kind of perverts or something".

I grinned and raised my hand.

"Say no more" I cut her off "I will sacrifice. Just do it, I'm ready to take all the responsibility and to be seen like the big pervert."

Hermione playfully slapped my forearm. "You're such an idiot"

She laughed and quickly got on her tiptoes, locking her arms around my neck as I held her waist.

Her warm and sweet breath tickled my mouth, and then she tenderly pressed her lips against mine just when I caught a glimpse of Ronald staring at us.

A big noise echoed in the room and we heard a girl's little squeak. Hermione broke the kiss and pulled away as we both watch Ron flying in the air, before heavily crash down on the hard floor.

"Are you okay?" Luna asked as she helped him stand up "What happened?" He got up, quiet and looking pretty annoyed.

"He wasn't even looking at me" Dean exclaimed, quite miffed.

Ron, who was now big red with embarrassment, shook his robes off and sniffed.

"I guess the boy found some better teaching to acquire" Scott said with irony as he shot us a quick glance.

The other students in the room stayed dumb, apparently totally oblivious of Hermione's and my activity before the little incident.

Ron flushed even more but this time because he was angry. He glanced at me and I couldn't resist at the temptation to smirk down at him (I know, very childish, but this would count as my revenge for his tattling before).

"You're lucky I don't punch you right on the face" Ron spat at Dean which was certainly aimed to me, and stormed out off the Room.

**Hermione POV**

I was in Potions class, pretending to be focused on Snape's lesson (that I had studied several weeks ago when I was kept prisoner in the infirmary) while I was trying to catch Ron's attention who was willfully turning his back at me. I hated when he was doing that, acting like a child, like a spoiled child whom you wouldn't have given something he asked you for. Since Cedric's return, Ron was an insufferable prat, never missing an opportunity to slang my boyfriend, to criticize my relationship with him, to openly tell me I had been idiot when I started dating him. Ron had always been possessive, that is sure, with me but also with Harry. He never liked the idea to see his best friend spend time with other lads, and I guess he couldn't bare this new idea to see me attached with another boy than him or Harry. Well, I'd better get stuck to this reasoning to actually think about Cedric's assumption: that Ronald could have some lovey-dovey feelings for me.

"Ron" I called for the tenth time. My friend kept his back at me and even feigned a cough to give himself some credit (or maybe just to annoy me).

I sighed in frustration, I really wanted to let it go, let Ron and Cedric have their silly rivalry and just watch him get beaten up. A little giggle escaped just when I pictured the scene.

And this finally attracted Ron's attention...and everyone else in the room.

"Miss Granger" Snape spoke with his grave voice "What about the skin rotting potion can be so funny?"

All the students stared at me with curiosity. All their eyes on me made me feel uncomfortable.

"Nothing, sir" I answered nervously clearing my throat.

"Maybe the other students would also find this laughable if I used the potion on you, wouldn't they?"

He looked me deep in the eyes with all the despise he was able to gather in such a short time.

I broke the eye contact and shyly looked away.

Snape got back to his desk and sat down.

"You'll stay here after the class" he added without looking at me.

I just had time to glance at Ron, when he quickly turned his back again at me. I let out a puff, feeling bothered: even when I wasn't properly having contact with him, Ronald was causing me troubles.

At the end of the class, I stayed on my seat and watched my schoolmates leave the room. Harry gave me a little comforting smile before walking away.

When they were all gone, Snape waited a few seconds, before leaving his desk. He closed the door and walked back to his table. He remained in this posture a long minute and finally went to his personal shelf.

"If there's something I dislike Miss Granger" he spoke, his back at me "it is to be fooled".

I frowned in surprise but kept silent though: was this all about a giggle?

Snape abruptly spun his head, as if he heard me, and then walked up to me. His hand was closed, like holding some precious object. I quickly glanced at it then looked back at his face. His lips were pursed, his look was harsh. I began to wonder if all this had something to do with the class incident. He finally held his arm to the table and opened his hand, putting a little flask down.

"Do you recognize this?" he asked with a calm voice.

My heart started pounding hard in my chest as I watched the very bright liquid shine in front of me.

"You better not lie" Snape warned me with a threatening voice "We're both aware you're a know-it-all"

I gulped hard and stared up at him. I didn't feel hurt by his remark; I was more worried about the outcome of his conversation.

"It's Life Essence, sir" I answered composing my best neutral voice.

Snape looked me up and down and started pacing around the room.

"Yes. And as you know Life Essence is very concentrated liquor, supposed to be the perfect copying of what is the very first quintessence of living. And as you still know, it probably is the most important ingredient of the Resurrection potion you used on Mr. Diggory".

I felt like my whole world was crashing down in front of me: I clearly knew where he was getting at (and taking all his time to say it was his way to make me boil in panic). I also knew he couldn't miss a chance to humiliate me or to break me. Now, I was sure he would find any way to ruin my life. Now, I didn't have any possibility to get out of this mess, I would just have to pray that he wouldn't try his hardest to ruin me.

Snape stood just in front of me.

"I'm going to be frank with you, now" he said "I know you took some Life Essence from me, or let's say you found a way to get into my office and you treacherously stole it from me. You know, saving someone's life is very honorable, but doing it with dishonesty makes it lose its entire value miss Granger."

I swallowed hard.

"Many other rare ingredients were in the list, I worked hard on finding them all...honestly" I finally spoke as I referred to the Female Unicorn horn's powder I had asked of Hagrid.

"Life Essence is not something your dull gamekeeper could have brought you" Snape snapped. I was amazed: either he was using occlemency, or he did some good enquiry before confronting me (I am sure it was the second option).

"I know you only needed some drops of it, so I don't have a proof of your thief. But I'll soon find one, I can assure you".

He shot me some official-pact-with-myself-has-been-done look then waved me to leave the room. I made my best to appear calm and not scared at all, taking time to pack up my books, and I left the room in a normal pace.

In the corridor, I didn't speed up, fearing that Snape could find in some eagerness the way to break me down more quickly.

That's when I finally turned in the corner, walked down the stairs and reached the big doors of the Great Hall that my poker face shattered.

Cedric who was waiting for me as we had planned to eat together outside, frowned and came to me.

"What is it?" he asked with a worried voice, yet with an already annoyed tone like expecting to hear something involving Ron.

"I fear I'm in trouble".

Cedric gently held my forearm and led me outside the castle. We then sat down under the big oak tree, the place I had brought him back alive for the first time, just after the graveyard.

I gave him all the details about the conversation with Snape, and also all my worried commentaries about it. He was silent, very focused on my every word, taking time to analyze the whole situation. This was all Cedric: when Harry, Ron or even Scott would yell out their first impressions immediately, he, in those moments, was always revealing the mature part I knew about him. He was always looking for the best words and thoughts before giving his opinion.

As always, I knew he would be honest and frank.

"That is bad". Okay, maybe he was too honest and frank. "But don't worry, he's bluffing. Snape can't seem to find a proof so he tries to make you confess by scaring you. Stay calm; show him you have nothing to feel bad about. Then, we'll find a solution."

"What kind of solution?" I asked, totally panicked, now. "I don't want to go through some new trial. I won't bear it: being shown like a criminal...it's just unbearable".

"It won't happen" Cedric said with a harsh voice. "Snape is only speculating, and he still hasn't done anything to prove us wrong."

I nodded slowly, holding back my chagrin.

"You're right" I murmured as I looked away at the scenery.

I could feel Cedric's gaze on me as I was mentally working on deleting every piece of memory of the trial. I knew him enough to know he was doing the exact same exercise as well. He didn't wait more and held me tight in his arms, softly brushing my hair.

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**Give me your impressions: what do you think will happen, now? Oh and a question: do you like reading the story from Cedric POV or you like Hermione's better?**


	6. Mercutio changes the plot

**Author's note: Happy new Year, gus. I know it's late but you always find people who wish the hapy new year on february so I'm still in the good period. Here's the new chapter: I swear you'll have all details in the next chapter. Give me your impression: I really want to know everything!**

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CPOV

It's been almost a week since Snape had threatened Hermione, and from then he hadn't spoken to her again. She had first found this worrying, but then she had relaxed. She finally got at the conclusion that the Potion teacher was looking for the proof about something he wasn't even sure about.

It was the morning, and we were all seated around the Hufflepuff table, Hermione at my side. Scott was just in front of me, playing with smiling at the girls, meanwhile throwing some food at some members of the Quidditch team.

"She published it, she published it" a voice called.

We all turned and saw Julian McGregor, a three-year-student from Hufflepuff. He stopped just in front of us and put a newspaper down on the table.

"Rita Skeeter has finally published her article" he spoke with an enthusiastic tone.

"I thought the budgerigar was dead per chance" Scott sighed.

I frowned when I remembered our interview several weeks ago in Dumbledore's office.

"I thought the same. But she's like Umbridge's kind: adverse and pugnacious".

"I was sure Scott had kind of...cut her inspiration" Hermione said with a soft, yet worried voice.

_The Scandalous Return_

_I'm sure most of you have heard of the return of late Mister Cedric Diggory, who had died in a very mysterious circumstance last year during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. And I don't doubt that all of you have read that Miss Hermione Granger, the five-year-student from Gryffindor who brought him back has just been discharged after the much hyped trial that took place during those last weeks._

_I, Rita Skeeter, got the chance to interview the powerful muggle/witch and the Boy-who-died._

I rolled my eyes when I read the stupid nickname I feared people would use to speak of me. I held back a groan and kept on reading.

_I met them both in the very famous headmaster Albus Dumbledore's office. Miss Granger and Mister Diggory, who are -so- dating even though they tried their hardest to hide their lovey-dovey feelings from my expert eye, was very loquacious during our meeting._

"Who are so dating?" Hermione yelled, outraged "She's totally speculating".

"It goes without saying, that the woman has an incredibly keen eye" Scott interjected with a snicker.

_Cedric, as I was calling him during the whole interview, was very talkative about his situation: answering by "yes", "no", or "so-so". I guess passing away might have let damages, or maybe we could excuse him by saying that dead people don't have the opportunity to be chatty._

_Concerning Miss Granger, her know-it-all facade isn't just a rumor: to sum up, she was speaking a lot about nothing. If I wasn't that professional I could believe that her convoluted shyness could actually be some condescension feeling around her peers. _

_Besides that, the two teens seem to be as lovely as it can be possible for someone who got through death, or for someone who just woke up from a long coma. If I can let myself ramble out of the beaten track of journalism, I can assure you that those two are obsessed with each other: their secret gestures, their longing looks, and their malicious and tender smiles can let us know that they weren't just speaking about the Resurrection potion during all these months._

_Now that the trial has come to an end, I wish them the best happiness ever, with a wedding and a bunch of kids, even though we don't have an idea if Mister Diggory can actually get to have some. About that he said "I can get pregnant"._

I let out a groan and rolled my eyes, as Scott burst into laughter.

"I told you it was a bad idea to joke with her" Hermione whispered with a bitter tone. I frowned at her words about my relationship with Hermione: her ability to get false details out of her head almost deserves cheering.

_And to conclude, I would give a very strong piece of advice to the lovers: maybe they should revise their company. To the funny kid I met during that interview, and whom I ignore the name, I want to say: it's a smarter thing to talk about subjects you have, at least, an inch of experience about._

_Your devoted, Rita Skeeter._

I burst into laughter when I read the last lines of the article: those words had the knack to erase, for a few seconds, the details that had got me mad.

Scott snatched the newspaper out of my hands to read.

"The poor old dodderer, it took her more than a month to spit that sweet response" he smirked. "No doubt: her husband is the poor male-sterile she's talking about in that interview. That woman is an unhappy wife who just displays her chagrin to the world. Ask Freud".

Hermione and I looked up at him with widened eyes.

"You know Freud?" Hermione asked for the both of us.

"This muggle is really awesome. I don't know if he's right, but he's good!" Scott answered.

We kept quiet a few seconds, almost gaping.

"You're so full of surprises" Hermione said with a smile. She then got serious and cleared her throat "No offense. I didn't mean it that way."

Scott waved his hand and looked down at the newspaper, reading it once again.

"I can't believe she named you The Boy-Who-Died." Hermione murmured squeezing my hand "It's totally rude and inappropriate: putting you into a box, but also comparing you to Harry. She has no good-manners."

I tried to smile, even though she had summed up everything: I hated the fact to be seen for the rest of my life as the boy who came back from dead. I know what it's like to be put into a bow: I have always been the good-looking kid, then the Golden Boy, then the Quidditch captain, and the Triwizard candidate. There wasn't a day I was seen for something else than the box I had been put into.

Besides that, being seen like the dead one was the very last thing I could wish for. Coming back from dead can be quite scary for people, and if now I couldn't just hang out in town without being pointing at like the late Cedric Diggory, then it would be worse than any other Golden Boy box.

I guess what was worst was to think that I would always be compared to Harry Potter. The boy was very nice, smart, and polite, and my girlfriend's best friend, but I could never deal with the idea that I would be some kind of copy. The Boy-Who-Died was the evident parallel to the Boy-Who-Lived. I was aware that both our destinies were connected in a way. We had both been Voldemort's victims, but we had both survived him. We could never be forgotten in the Wizard's world. Even though I didn't have the real idea of how popular I had become, a part of me wished it would never be as big as Harry. But coming back from dead in one piece is not very common news so I guess I would have to get used to this "popularity" from now.

Hermione sighed then quickly stood up.

"I have to go; my DADA class will soon start. I don't want to give anything to Umbridge that could help her become angry with me".

I nodded; she leaned in and pecked my cheek.

"Is that okay if I wait for you after your morning classes? I thought we could have a walk in the park just between us" I heard Scott say to her.

I noisily cleared my throat.

"You could, at least, wait until I'm not around before flirting with my girlfriend" I spoke with a neutral tone, reading the other articles of the newspaper I had just taken back.

"Why? I have no secrets from you." Scott puffed "Besides that if I wanted, I would take her from you in no time".

I smiled then looked up at Hermione, who seemed a bit lost: balancing between saying yes and the fear to offend me if she does.

"Yeah, sure" she finally said.

After she was gone, I folded the newspaper and stared at my best friend who was drinking his pumpkin juice with satisfaction.

"So?" I asked a bit tired of waiting for him to speak.

"So what?" he answered shrugging. "I'm just going to have a very romantic stroll with a charming and brilliant girl, incidentally your girlfriend, and enjoy this lovely moment".

"I don't remember you had this initiative with Cho" I said with a smirk.

"It's totally irrelevant. You hadn't planned to marry her if I remember well".

I almost choked.

"Oh no" I whispered "don't tell me you're going to force her to marry me".

Scott glanced all around him then got up from the bench. He quickly treadled the table and sat on it right just next to me.

"I told you I would help you to convince Hermione, so I will keep my promise. And no, I won't force her: I'll be very polite and refined, telling all the great compliments about you and stuff".

"Oh Merlin" I sighed "I don't want to witness this. I don't want to be there".

"Of course you won't be there" my friend exclaimed "Just by seeing the frightened look on your face she will say no, I have to make her fall for your soul".

I let out an amused chuckle.

"This is the biggest nonsense I've ever heard!"

* * *

After the morning classes, I kept hanging around in the corridors. Now that there was no need to hurry to get to meet Hermione, I had time to kill. I was smiled to myself when I imagining the stupid speech Scott would certainly be using to make the marriage sound appealing. I was sure he would use an example, speak about someone from his relatives, and then slowly get on the subject. After that, he would use many extra words to make the marriage sound very appealing. He would tell her the great sides of being a bride, and then seeing her reluctant face, he would quickly find a way to sneak out to another argument. And then he would get very serious and she will believe he's totally sincere: that was all Scott. I've been friends with him for years, but when he was getting to his serious speech, I would just trust him.

Now, I was very interested to know if Hermione would be convinced enough. Would she just run into my arms, telling me she's ready to get married at that precise second? I furrowed my brows in reluctance.

That's when I incidentally hit someone's shoulder in the corridor.

I apologized and then turned to my interlocutor. I was surprised to recognize someone I hadn't spoken to for a while, now.

"Hi Ced-ric" she gulped quickly adding the last syllable to, I assume, erase any form of familiarity belonging to the past.

"Hi Cho" I answered with ease that I was surprised to have. I frowned and lightly pinched my temple "I was sure no one was in my way, I'm sorry".

She bit her bottom lip and glanced up at me with hesitation.

"I actually hit you on purpose". I furrowed my brows even more. "I wanted to have an excuse to talk with you".

I grinned. "You can...talk with me whenever you want. You don't have to crush my arm every time."

She smiled and got quiet several seconds.

"Anyway, as you know I'm also having special DADA classes," she spoke with a specific look "and I saw you there the last time, so I was a bit afraid that you would feel uncomfortable because of me. Maybe if I can help I could manage to come only half the time".

"No, no" I murmured shaking my head "I won't ask you such a thing. Why would I want that?"

Cho embarrassingly brushed a lock with her fingers.

"I thought the last time we spoke; we separated quite in bad terms".

I didn't hide my surprise, but then remembered our conversation in the Hospital Wing. Now with some time, I could say I had been pretty rude with her.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't the point. I was worried for Hermione, and I was just isolating from the rest of people. I apologize."

Cho had that big, grateful grin.

"Thank you" she said.

After a moment, she relaxed and got more comfortable.

"Where is she, by the way? I wanted to apologize for my distant behavior, and also congratulate her for the trial and everything she has done".

I find her idea both nice and embarrassing: my ex and my actual girlfriend getting buddy-buddy. I'm not sure that would be so cool. Anyway, I appreciated Cho's initiative.

"She is held prisoner by Scott" I laughed a bit.

"Yes, I saw they were very fond of each other" Cho answered with an innocent tone.

I frowned and felt a bit piqued in my masculine jealousy.

"Fond is not the word I would have used for them two, but yeah they're getting along pretty well".

Cho flushed a bit, embarrassed by the twist her words had taken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she held back the verb she was about to use and that I was sure was 'worry'.

"I'm not" I answered, showing my best smile.

She nodded then quickly waved before leaving the corridor quite in a hurry.

I made my way through the corridors. As I didn't want to disturb Hermione and Scott in a very embarrassing conversation for me, I decided to stop in the Great Hall and grab some food. I sat on the bench and started chewing some bread.

"Hi Cedric" Harry greeted me walking up the aisle. He paused a bit and frowned "Hermione will be a bit late, she's with Logan".

I nodded. "I know that" I answered a bit miffed; I felt like everyone was trying out to point me something I wasn't able to see. I knew them both a lot, and I knew Scott enough to see when he's into a girl, especially if this girl is actually mine. It was like thinking that ...Mercutio could try to steal Juliet from Romeo.

Harry gave me a little embarrassed smile and quickly took a seat on the Gryffindor table.

I chatted a bit with a second-year Hufflepuff who talked to me with a lovely flush on the cheeks: her name was Julia. According to Scott and all the gossips she was totally besotted with me.

"May I help you?" I asked, playing my best oblivious face.

"Yes" she whispered with a voice I could barely hear "I read the article about you and I...wanted you to know that I didn't believe a word of it".

Her tone was so genuine and her eyes were expressing so much honesty that I couldn't help but grin.

"Well that's very sweet of you, Julia".

She held back a little surprised moan.

"You remember my name?" she murmured with a shy voice, chewing her lip.

I felt more and more amused, yet touched by her attention so I decided to play along.

"Of course, I do remember your name. I always remember pretty girls' name...not that I ignore the other girls"

She flushed.

"No, no" she exclaimed "Of course I know you wouldn't do that. You're not like that".

I quickly glanced at the hour and stood up.

"I apologize Julia, I have to go" she bit her lip in disappointment and nodded. I leaned in towards her "If you need anything, anything...please, just come to me. It'll be my pleasure to help you".

She offered her sweetest grateful look and smiled before walking off.

* * *

I left the Great Hall and made my way around the park, walking at a slow pace. It's not like I wanted them to catch me red-handed after all. I fully trusted them both, no matter if people could be talking away about this behind my back.

I finally saw them, standing by the lake, obviously absorbed in a very important conversation: this sight had the knack to make me feel nervous. Would she say yes to my proposal? Would she blame me for using Scott to to convince her? I turned my head and saw a group of girls chatting around a bit further. I took in a deep breath and walked up to them. They hadn't seen me yet apparently. I halted right away, when I saw, well I thought I saw that. There was my best friend, catching Hermione's forearms and pulling her closer to him, then gluing his lips on hers.

I widened my eyes in shock and even felt tempted to rub my eyes and make sure I wasn't daydreaming. The...kiss lasted a couple of seconds, and then Scott finally pulled her away, still grabbing her arms. During this move, Hermione kept frozen, not even blinking. Actually her eyes were wide open. There was no doubt she was as surprised as me.

I felt my whole body boil. Scott was now telling her something.

I rushed to them, my jaw clenched.

"You might be my best friend, but that doesn't mean you won't see my punch hit your traitor face".

Hermione and him jumped in surprise and observed me with a mix of confusion and terror.

Scott took a few steps back and held up his hands.

"Chill out" he exclaimed, looking quite frightened "I think I'm in love".

The words rang in my head like with a big clock.

* * *

**So?**


	7. Touching her heart

**Sorry about the delay, here's the chapter.**

* * *

HPOV

I spent the last hour of the morning thinking about my upcoming 'rendezvous' with Scott. I smiled as I let my imagination go as far as the meaning of the word I had chosen could.

I was both clueless and excited about meeting Scott after the class: he was a crack up, but also a lovely person. Besides I also knew him enough to be sure he hadn't proposed me to go for a stroll with me for no reason. What was he expecting? Maybe some help? Some piece of advice concerning Cedric?

I was more and more curious about what subject Scott wanted to discuss with me.

When the class finally finished, I hurriedly gathered my books (to my surprise). I immediately slowed down when I heard some shouting from the outside.

"Where's Cedric Diggory and Scott Logan's favorite witch?"

When I reached the door I saw Scott leaning against the wall, as Harry and Ron walked past him. Harry politely smiled at him with some kind of amusement when Ron took the opportunity to get grouchy and huffed.

Scott smirked and continued.

"Where's Cedric Diggory, Scott Logan and Harry Potter's friend? Not Weasel's, not the red-head's friend, the one who's friend only with the three others. Where is she?"

Ron glared at him and speeded up the pace as I stood in front of Scott.

"Stop provoking him! He doesn't like that" I whispered.

Scott snickered.

"Well I hope he doesn't. It's all the purpose of my call" he said. I was about to protest when he hushed me. "Listen, you might ask Cedric to play it cool, but _I_ can do whatever I want".

I nervously rubbed my temple.

"I guess you're right. But please, just try to be tempered when doing your jokes".

Scott nodded as he drew a cross over his chest with his forefinger.

"I swear I will" he spoke with what seemed to me his most sincere voice.

He then grabbed my books, held my wrist and dragged me along the corridors. I made my best not to bump into people the Hufflepuff was dodging.

We were so quick that we even reached Harry and Ron's sides.

"I'll join you later for the lunch" I managed to say to my friend.

"Don't be upset Weasel. Avoid stuffing yourself to compress your rage" Scott exclaimed with a devilish laughter.

"SCOTT!" I shrieked in despair. "You said you wouldn't..."

"I swear I'm being nice right now" he cut me off as he quickly spun his head and winked at me.

I heard Ron grumble as I let out an incontrollable giggle just when I was dragged in another corridor.

Scott and I reached the park a couple of minutes later, reaching a new sprint record for the fastest crossing of the castle. My schoolmate finally slowed down and let go of my wrist.

"That's it? We escaped the invisible sinners that were running after us" I said with a smirk.

"Hermione" he spoke pinching his bottom lip with his fingers. "Can I ask you something personal?"

I frowned and was surprised by his sudden serious tone and grave look. I slowly nodded.

"How much do you love Ced?"

I let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Scott! That's not the question I was expecting. Besides that, I think you know the answer: enough to bring him back to life despite the danger for me".

He pinched his bottom lip once again and kept quiet a few seconds, like musing over something.

"Is there something you could refuse him?" he asked.

I frowned now, more and more unsure and uneasy about the twist our meeting was taking.

"Well, I think that's something I'll only answer to him. Is that why you wanted to spend some time with me? Cedric sent you here to get some information?" I felt a bit outraged.

"It wasn't Ced's idea, I can swear to you. I was just wondering. Could you imagine yourself spending the rest of your life with him?"

I was about to protest but felt hit by the reality of the question. Could I spend my all life with Cedric? Had I even considered the idea? My relationship with him was so...easy going that I had never really looked further than the actual moment. The only times I had been thinking about my future with him was when I was wondering if I could bring him back from dead, and then it was when I was threatened to be kept apart from him during the trial. But now, everything was so simple: forgetting Snape and Umbridge, Cedric and I had never been freer than now. Cedric's year was also almost done and I still hadn't an idea of how we would spend our time together. I wasn't afraid to lose him, for us it was different. It wasn't just some holiday fling, some relationship that could break down just because of distance. I guess I was stuck with him, as much as he was with me...wouldn't this imply that I would like to stay with him all my life?

"Because if you actually do" Scott continued with a lower tone "Why is marriage something so impossible to consider?"

Why? Why? I could count so many reasons, starting with the fact I'm only 15 and Cedric 18!

I felt incensed. Cedric couldn't find a way to make me say yes so he just asked his best friend to do the hard work?

I opened my mouth, trying to compose the most virulent speech ever -that I hope he would repeat to Cedric- when I noticed that Scott tensed a bit and got nervous. Seeing the panic in his eyes, I chose to let my anger aside.

"Are you alright?" I asked a bit worried.

"Okay, promise you won't get mad and don't tell a word about it to Ced" he said with a very determined tone.

"What are you talking ab..." I was cut off by his two hands grabbing my forearms and pulling me in.

My eyes were open and I didn't miss his mouth which was aiming straight at mine. His lips touched mines with a bit of rush yet an unexpected delicacy. That was the first time I was kissed by a boy who wasn't Cedric: yeah, even though all Ron could have been thinking, I had never kissed Krum. Cedric was the very first one who brushed my lips with his, and now feeling someone else's but other than those lips that I was used to -and that I particularly liked- was quite a peculiar sensation.

I didn't move at all, and kept tensed, now getting over this first impression and realizing the fact that my boyfriend's best friend was actually kissing me. He pulled me away just when this concept reached my mind.

He stared at me with a hint of fear, like expecting a palm to slap his cheek.

"I have a good reason for that. Just let me explain to you, okay?"

I didn't react but slowly began to nod. I was interrupted by a shout.

"You might be my best friend, but that doesn't mean you won't see my punch hit your traitor face".

I jumped and got scared when I recognized Cedric's voice. I watched him dash for Scott and panicked. I just wanted to stand up for the Hufflepuff.

"Chill out" Scott exclaimed "I think I'm in love".

My heartbeat took a whole new speed.

* * *

CPOV

I bit my tongue so hard I thought I would just cut it. I clenched my fist as I grabbed Scott's robes with violence.

"Is that really supposed to chill me out?" I muttered.

"Yes" Scott exclaimed with an annoying cool voice for the circumstance. "Because I'm not in love with her".

I gaped a bit, glanced at Hermione who seemed quite fine, and stared at Scott's face who was wincing. What was it all about around here? Had I missed an episode?

I let go of his robes and crossed my arms over my chest.

Scott let out a relieved sigh, put his robes back in place, and gave a smile at Hermione.

"No offense" he told her. She shook her head frantically, probably thanking Merlin for avoiding a huge mess.

"Who are you in love with?" I said with a harsh voice, a bit impatient to get a very good excuse that could explain the kiss.

"This girl" he murmured raising his finger. I turned and saw the group of girls I had caught a glimpse of a couple of minutes ago. "She's in Gryffindor. Last year. Her name is Lena Harris".

"You like Lena Harris!" Hermione exclaimed with a low voice "I talk to her sometimes. Maybe I could help you two...".

I cut her enthusiasm off by putting my hand on her shoulder.

"Let's wait for that, will you? I want to know why he got to kiss you".

She rolled her eyes - at my jealousy I assume- yet nodded.

"What do you mean, why? Because I'm into her".

"Oh then when you really like a girl, you just go around kissing your pals' girlfriends. Because you...are into her" I ironized.

"Ha-ha. I don't want her to know it, and she was there. I didn't want her to think I was some desperate guy, so I had to improvise"

"Yeah by kissing my girlfriend!" I snapped at him.

"You would have preferred I kissed you" Scott answered back.

"Well yes!" I yelped.

A long silence settled down between the three of us. I frowned as I slowly realized my answer.

"I mean no" I finally spoke.

Scott shrugged and watched the girls walk by, aiming to the castle.

"The bright side of it is that she doesn't think I'm a single guy" he whispered.

"Yeah, congrats! Now what, you want a standing ovation?" I protested.

"Cedric" Hermione spoke, holding my hand. "The situation is not that dramatic. We know what happened, and I'm sure Scott feels sorry for what happened".

"Usually, I just run far away from the place she is" Scott added like giving some personal cheering to himself.

I sighed, a bit annoyed by the situation, yet relieved it was all a misunderstanding. The last thing I wanted was to lose my best friend.

"I'm sorry" Scott said wincing.

I turned and glanced down at Hermione who was offering me her best grin.

"Well, the next time, just turn your lips at the opposite side".

"I promise" he spoke. I turned around and was about to leave with Hermione when I heard.

"Well, this is a fine mess" Scott continued with an amused and content tone "because this kiss was pretty..."

I spun my head and shot him a defiant glare, clearly telling him with the only strength of my eyes to change the end of his sentence. He gulped and finished "...disgusting and unenjoyable".

I spent the rest of the day bearing the sight of Scott without replaying the scene in my mind. He also helped me by making jokes and even provoking Snape (he was so close to getting a detention but our House lost points instead). After dinner, I waited for everyone to get into their dormitories and left the common room.

I made my way through the castle and reached the Gryffindor tour. The Fat Lady looked me up and down.

"Oh you're the Boy-who-died" she sang with her terrific high-pitched voice.

"Don't call me like that" I spoke with a tone I tried to keep calm and polite.

"I assume you want to get in to get to your lady" she huffed "Sorry, you'll have to let her guess you're just behind the door. I can sing if you want".

"You know what? I give you the whole list of the Gryffindor's passwords since the creation of the school _right now_, and you don't sing at all" I quickly spoke.

The Fat Lady got offended and glared at me.

"You were a more polite boy before dying" she criticized after I voiced the right password that Hermione had given me before.

I used the invisibility spell on me and penetrated. It was silent in the room, and I started considering the idea to go into the girl's dormitory without looking (of course!) right before I caught a glimpse of Hermione. She was seated on the big sofa, reading a book.

I walked across the room and stood just in front of her. She was amazingly beautiful, her locks lit by the fire that was giving them a honey color.

I conjured my spell and put my forefinger on her lips just when she was about to scream.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered as she closed the book and stood up in front of me.

Seeing her in her panicked mode was quite pleasant to watch. It made her look even more lovely and attractive.

"I wanted to spend some time. And tonight is a special night, so I want to share it with you".

"What's happening tonight?" the curious student took over.

I leaned in and stopped just when my lips touched her ear. "This is the surprise".

I pulled back and saw her smile at me with that glow in the eyes.

"I love when you're surprising me...not always, but most of time I do" she said.

"That's part of my charm" I teased as I gently held her hand, put the invisible spell on us, and left the common room.

We went through the corridors and reached the big doors of the castle.

Hermione said for the fifth time. "We can't go outside! If someone sees us we'll be expelled..."

"Sweetie, I really love when you're talking...especially about rules, but can you just keep quiet a few minutes?" I smiled. I looked down at her and saw her frown reluctantly. "Besides that, you broke one of the biggest rules of magic, without referring to the fact that you happened to go out of the castle at night by using a portkey, so why to worry?

She listened and shrugged off: something she would do every time she couldn't find an answer to protest with.

When I was sure we were far enough from anyone's sight, I conjured the spell. I intertwined my fingers with Hermione's, and led her across the park.

"We're just in time" I breathed out as I made her sit down on the grass, in the middle of my meadow.

"In time for what?" Hermione asked crossing her legs.

I sat next to her and grinned. "You'll find out soon enough".

The night was silent and peaceful at the same time. The weather was cool and the sky pretty clear: everything was just perfect for tonight.

"Are you mad at Scott?" I spoke with a hesitant tone. She stared up at the sky as her hands slowly rubbed her legs to warm them up.

"No. I think it was quite funny" she smiled still gazing skywards. "Of course, he kind of used me and he caught me by surprise, but his intention wasn't bad. He's just too spontaneous, too...Scott".

She grinned and looked back at me.

I observed her silhouette carefully in a musing way.

"Do you like him?" my mouth blurted out. I wasn't sure myself if I would fully appreciate her answer if it was 'yes'.

Hermione pouted as she circled her arms around her folded legs, resting her cheek on her knees.

"I do. Because he reminds me in so many ways of you"

I let out laughter.

"You think I'm like him?"

"Yeah. Spontaneous, simple, funny, sometimes bold and immature. I can't imagine you two not being friends... It's like you were meant to get along. Not liking Scott would be like rejecting a big part of your personality".

We smiled at each other for a few seconds. I had never really considered things that way: how could I ever be jealous of Hermione's and Scott's friendship now that I know she actually enjoyed his company because he reminded her of me? I slowly raised my hand, and brushed some of her locks.

I couldn't break eye contact with her as I did my best to keep in mind all her facial features, and the many emotions that were passing by her stare. I finally got distracted by a glowing light.

"I think it's starting" I spoke as I pointed her with my eyes to look up.

She did and let out a gasp of surprise.

"Cedric, what is it?" she asked in amazement as I myself got lost in the magnificence of the sight. Hundreds of small lights were emerging from the grass, and rising high in the dark sky. They looked like stars within reach we were able to touch at any moment.

"During spring" I started "magical yet unfortunately unknown nymfireflies leave the garden they rekindled after winter. They will come back in a year, for the next flowering."

Hermione gently stood up as she walked through a cluster of the lighting beetles. She delicately raised her finger, as she made as if to touch one of them then retracted afraid to hurt it.

"I thought they were a myth" she whispered, busy following the circling of their moves.

"Yes, I used to as well, until the night I actually witnessed the phenomenon" I said with an amused smile, still seated on the grass, looking up at her. "They were called nymfireflies because the legend says they're..."

"...they're sent by the Nymphs" Hermione finished with a whisper. I nodded. "I could watch them all the night long" she murmured more to herself than to me.

"Well, this is not a problem" I said.

She turned to me both confused and content. I held up my hand taking a gentle grasp of her wrist and pulled her down to me. Hermione followed and knelt down in front of me, barely a few inches away from me.

"Thank you for this" she whispered as she glanced up at the glowing bugs with a little smirk on the face. "Looks like I was lucky enough to tumble on the boyfriend who's got talent".

I mimed the surprise. "I've got talent?" I asked.

Hermione made her lovely smile and leaned in closer to me as I held her waist.

"Yeah" she began with a teasing tone "An incredible sense of imagination at always finding the perfect presents, the best activities to share. You know how to touch my heart, in very truth".

She cupped my face and brushed my jaw with her soft fingers.

Her eyes were expressing so much fragility and pride when saying that, as if she was giving up and displaying her inner feelings to me, and kind of enjoyed doing it because it was me and no one else. I liked this part of her, I liked when she was totally surrendering, being fully herself because she wasn't afraid of my reaction. It was to me, one of those best moments with her, but also the very best proof of her trust in me.

I leaned in as I slowly exhaled. I felt her shudder at the contact as she closed her eyes. I breathed in her scent and slowly ran my thumb over her lips. She tightened her grip a little bit more but didn't move. I got closer but took all my time at touching her mouth, prolonging the waiting to enjoy the kiss even more.

When my mouth finally got to taste hers I let out a light moan and couldn't resist the envy to part my lips. I clasped them between mine as I leaned in even more, raising my hands up at her cheeks. All the feelings flooding by my body gave me an unexplainable sensation of satisfaction and desire.

She allowed me to deepen the kiss meanwhile she ran her fingers through my hair. My whole body was getting warm as I could feel Hermione was trembling everywhere my hand was touching her bare skin.

She leaned in and locked her arm around my neck urging me on to lay down with her on top of me.

"Hmm, I think we could add this to your talent list" she whispered, her lips tickling my cheek.

I smirked before giving her a soft peck.

She slowly moved, laying her side on the ground, yet staying cuddled up to me. She rested her head on my chest, her arm holding my shoulder.

"Your kiss could almost rival Scott's" she giggled.

"No way! It's still too fresh in my mind to joke about it, tonight." I exclaimed with some lecturing tone.

She laughed then we both stared up at the sky, silently admiring the phenomenon for the rest of the night.

* * *

**Author's note: Hope you liked it, guys! Even though a lot of you were expecting some love triangle with Scott (sorry ^^), I couldn't do that! It would have ruined the boys' friendship (and I think I had told you that Scott would always be a friend for Hermione, in a note of the Lover's return Spell story).**

**Anyway, the boy has a crush! I think that will give us some funny and memorable moments.**

**Concerning the nymfireflies, I totally invented it: it's the contraction of 'nymph' and 'fireflies'.**

**I don't own Harry Potter of course.**

**Review please, it would make my heart melt :D**


	8. Ramblings

**Author's note: Hey, guys! First of all, I owe you some apology. It's been such a long time. But I was busy as hell, and the inspiration's button was kinda turned off. But it's on again, so here is the new chapter, and I just finished the next one which will be a lot longer than this one.**

**I really hope you'll like it. Huge thanks to my betas: _Twilight4ever2396_ and _PassionateWriter18_ who were both patient enough to watch my back. ^^**

**Let me know about your feedback; guys: I would love to read your reviews. **

**Oh and thanks for all these story and author's alerts, this is awesome. And lately, I've received so many "favourite story" alert for the LRS. You rock!**

* * *

**Hermione POV**

The next morning, I woke up with sparkling eyes. The memory of the special moment I had with Cedric the day before wouldn't leave my mind. It was stuck. Lying next to him and having this magical view of those nymfireflies glittering in the dark sky had just been...stunning.

Everything had gone perfect, everything had been so simple. But it was the thing with Cedric: nothing seemed impossible to reach. With him, all the problems with the Ministry, Umbridge, Voldemort, Snape, and Ron were reduced to nothing. I smiled when I realized that thinking about my coming school works weren't that important anymore. Yeah I, Hermione Jean Granger, was now able to put my student duties aside (in a moderate level of course) when I was with Cedric. Was that weird?

I dressed in my robes and walked downstairs to the common room. I was satisfied to find Ginny sitting there.

"Hey there," she greeted with a little smirk. "Who's that huge grin for?"

"I am not grinning," I retorted.

"Oh yes, you are! But it's okay. I would be as well if I were dating that boy."

She patted the place next to her as an invitation.

"How are you?"

"Yesterday, I spent almost half the night with Cedric and..."

"Oh Merlin" Ginny squealed in an exciting way, as she tightly squeezed my forearm. "This is so..." she winced as if she was looking for the sequel of her sentence "...well I wanted to say it's so unexpected, but actually it's not, it's logical...no no, it's about time. I mean you two were constantly undressing each other with your eyes."

I let out a nervous -and shocked!- cough.

"This is ridiculous; we're not undressing each other with our eyes."

"Fine, then choose your word: ogling, leering at each other, feasting one's eyes on each other..."

"I got it!" I cut her off, flushing a deep red. "Maybe we are, but you're wrong. Last night...nothing happened. We were just together. Outside."

Ginny had this well-known frown that showed how skeptical she was. Not that she didn't trust my words, but as if she was sure this should have happened a long time ago. "Then, fine," she shrugged. "How was it?"

I looked at her, smiling.

"That grin again? Lucky girl," she teased with a wink. "What did you do?"

"He took me to see those sparkling bugs raised up in the sky."

I was interrupted by Ginny's sigh.

"It sounds so romantic. Cedric is a pro."

I nodded and silently watched her get back to her reading, some DADA's books. The more the seconds passed, the more the words I wanted to say were coming. I wanted to have this conversation with my best friend, probably a weird and embarrassing one, a conversation I never imagined I could ever have and so early.

"I need to talk to you about something," I murmured.

Ginny nodded and crossed her legs up on the couch, staring straight at me.

"You probably can help to answer this, but how can I know I'm ready for it?"

"For what?" Ginny asked, cocking an eyebrow. The silent seconds that passed just after her question composed the answer.

"Oh Merlin," she excitingly squealed for the second time, but now in a lower voice. "I knew I was right. The way you two look at each other." She paused, taking a deep breath to stop that hyperventilating reaction. "So you think you're ready?"

I was a bit startled: Ginny was probably as disturbed as me because she had just asked me the question I wanted her to help me to answer.

"Well, there was that day in his parents' house; I told him I wasn't ready. And he was very understanding, saying he would never rush me. But yesterday, I don't know, I felt like...let's say I started considering this idea. Is that wrong?"

Ginny and I looked at each other, she being very attentive to every word.

"Okay, then tell me, what do you feel exactly when you're with him?"

I bit my lower lip and let out a sigh, maybe not ready to get to the next level yet, but ready to talk about it and answer my friend's question.

**Cedric POV**

"I want to kiss her, hold her in my arms...touch her skin" I spoke honestly. Surprised by this conversation -I had kind of started-, I began to feel awkward. "Scott, are you sure it's a good idea to talk about it with you?"

"Of course, it's a good idea. I'm your best friend. If someone wants to talk about sex, they just go and talk about it with their best friend. And must I remind you that you're the one who started to talk about it?"

"No, I didn't. We were conversing about this girl you have a crush on, and you just pounced on this subject, asking me how it had gone between me and Hermione for our first time."

"Yep! And then I listened to you moaning about it."

"I wasn't moaning!" I responded. "I told you I was okay with Hermione's decision."

"But we both know 'okay' is not the proper word," Scott said with a humming tone wiggling his eyebrows.

"And I answered you that I didn't care if Hermione and I get intimate or not."

"But we both know you don't 'not care'," he hummed again. "And that's why I'm asking you how you feel when you're with her. And so it's clear: you actually crave for it!"

"And you came to that conclusion because of this mere answer?"

"No, because I have keen eyes. Seen the way you two are acting when you're together."

His comment stung my curiosity.

"Really? And how are we acting?"

**Hermione POV**

"Staring at each other as if the whole world is populated only by them," Ginny said, with both an amused and envious tone. "He really looks at you as if you were the most precious thing in the world."

"I'm sure it's not that obvious," I murmured.

**Cedric POV**

"Are you kidding? A pink elephant casting a spell would be poorly obvious next to you two," Scott snickered. "All this lovey-dovey stuff...Seriously, it's as noble as it can be ridiculous: you look ready to let yourself be trampled by a bunch of hungry trolls to save her life. And she seems totally okay with the idea to ride an acromantula if that can be of any help to your welfare."

I rolled my eyes at his stupid comparison.

"I almost feel sorry for you guys!" he shouted out.

**Hermione POV**

"I envy you, Hermione," I surprisingly heard her say with a cool tone.

"Ginny, you're so popular; many boys in this school would do anything to date you," I retorted.

"But none of them ever gave me a sample of one simple glimpse that Cedric gives you. His looks are in-between burning desire and chaste tenderness. It's bewildering."

**Cedric POV**

"I don't want to have sex with her; I want to love her. There's a whole world between those. That's why I don't want to rush her; I need her to be sure I know the difference."

**Hermione POV**

"I want to be closer to him, like I never did before. But how can I know it's the right moment?" I asked my best friend.

Cedric is the incarnation of all my secret desires: he is the boy I could have heavy conversations of the mind with; he was and is my crying shoulder during the bad moments, my first laugh after those sad times; he was and is all the recognition I could hope for, the proudest of me being a witch. He had been and still is the key to my heart; he was the door that made me discover the woman in me, and now I was ready to let him be this very first caress. Both impatient and nervous, I didn't know how to show him this "put-aside" part of him that I now wanted him to reveal.

"Must I wait for him to do the first move?"

**Cedric POV**

"Must I wait for her to let me know?"

I kept quiet a couple of seconds: not that I was super hurried to get to it. A part of me wanted to be physically bound to Hermione. I had always fully enjoyed all these moments spent with her just lying side by side, or merely just talking, and I knew I always would. But Hermione is my temptation, my Pandora's box, my Forbidden fruit without the reversals of these. She is the promise of pure bliss, an endless source of delight that I could never grow weary of. Merlin not! If someday Hermione Granger became mine, I would indulge her with all the love I'm capableof and show her I was hers since the beginning.

"Don't worry..." Scott said.

**Hermione POV**

"...When it'll be the right moment..." Ginny spoke with a friendly smile.

**Cedric POV**

"...you'll just know it" my friend ended with some wise tone.

I nodded quietly and thanked him.

Making my way to the Great Hall with Scott, we met Hermione and Ginny just before passing the doors.

"Hey" she said, with the beautiful smile of hers.

"Hi" I answered, -being contaminated-, by a smile as well.

Ginny had an amused smirk and Scott puffed, then they both went to their House table.

"So how was your morning?" she asked as I had the impression she was trying to hide something embarrassing. Thinking about my discussion with Scott made me feel a bit awkward.

"I was with Scott, talking about some...boys stuff. And you?"

I watched her nibble her bottom lip and shrugged.

"With Ginny, talking about girls stuff".


	9. Awaited answers can lead us to new fears

**Author's note:**** Thanks a lot for all your awesome reviews, I see you guys are kinda hurried that things get frisky between our two lovers. ;)**

**For now, here is the next chapter, which is longer, as I promised. I don't know when I'll update, I'll be quite busy the next weeks with my exams. So please bear with me. **

**And give me to read a bunch of reviews (even short ones), there are the water which blossoms the flower of an author. :)**

* * *

"You wanted to see me, professor?" I asked, as I entered the huge headmaster's office. The old man was bent over a marble bowl, which contained bright blue water that was reflecting around the whole room.

"Mister Diggory. Please, come in" his voice echoed. He then invited me to take a seat, ironically the same one I was in when they announced to my parents that I was back from the dead.

"Don't misinterpret this meeting. I'm an old wizard who's still curious about magic. I didn't want to embarrass you or hurt your feelings, especially during the trial, that's why I've waited until now." The headmaster paused and sat down on his own chair, facing me. "I would like to question you about the spell which Miss Granger used on you, and I would like to know more about the condition you were in before you were brought back. Is that a problem?"

I gulped, feeling a bit nervous, and maybe even violated in my intimacy. That was certainly a part of my life -or maybe 'no-life' would be the best word- I didn't want to share with anybody: something I considered as being a secret moment of my existence.

"I knew I would have to talk about it someday. I'm actually relieved it has to happen with you," I spoke sincerely but with a hint of apprehension.

Dumbledore nodded with a serious face, showing how aware he was of the awkward discussion to come, respectful of my embarrassment.

"First of all, from what I was told, I know you were hit by a spell when you threw yourself at Voldemort."

I nodded.

"You must know that at that moment you weren't exactly a ghost. You, Harry's parents, and all the others were a sort of a mass of magical residual, the concentration of each of your individual magic energy. Maybe, as being the last to be hit by the" Dumbledore winced, "unforgivable spell, your mass of magical energy was probably the most concentrated one and so the most powerful and sensitive to magic. I still am thinking of the spell Voldemort could have used, but the magic released by it was combined to your own residual mass. I assume that's what led you to that level of living. But of course, it wasn't the first property of this spell. It was transfigured and that's why you were trapped between two strata: between life and death."

This was such a simple reasoning from the incredible wizard in front of me: a wonderful light that lighted up the obscurity I've been in since the first day I found myself stuck. His words were some kind of expiation, the liberation of my mind from all these long nights of questionings, wondering how I had been saved, why this had happened to me.

"When you were hit by this spell, was it painful?" he asked suspiciously.

"No. I just felt...drawn, then I found myself in darkness."

"How long?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. But it lasted a long time. Maybe weeks."

The headmaster nodded, slowly stroking his beard. "I assume it took a while before your mass of magic residual found a stratum of existence to fit in." He paused again and started thinking. "And you wandered everywhere in the castle?"

A sad smile came on my face. "You're the first person I came to."

Dumbledore frowned a bit and briefly closed his eyes. "I am sorry. I wish I'd known about your situation. No one should have to go through this. And you must know that I tried my hardest to avoid you and Miss Granger the ordeal of the trial. And I fear many others are prepared to come."

"We're not talking about the Ministry, are we?" I murmured, feeling a knot in my stomach.

Dumbledore leaned in. "Even though a lot of people want to ignore the truth; Voldemort is back. Everyone has heard about the trial and your situation, and many wizards are greedy for this much power. I guess immortality is the most tempting one. With you being alive, they think they can find the opportunity to escape death. Endlessly."

I felt nervous at the twist the conversation had taken. "But you said no one had been able to make it work until Hermione did. And you told her that there has to be some special bond between–"

"They don't give much importance to that," Dumbledore cut me off. "You are back, and Miss Granger made it work. Who knows if she can do it again if the spell is modified. Besides, you have no idea how many other spells are considered as myths. They might think she could make them work as well."

"But we are not even sure she could cast any other spell, and the one she used almost killed her."

Dumbledore kept quiet several seconds, his eyes darkened from the truth. "Those wizards won't even consider this. They're only serving their own interests."

After seeing my certainly pale face, he tried to comfort me. "Don't worry. You're safe in the castle. We'll take care of you and Miss Granger, and make sure you're safe from any harm." I slowly nodded and nervously pushed my hair back. I wasn't certain about the reliability of Dumbledore's words, but I had no choice but to believe them. Not trusting them was the certitude to let the fear possess me and break me down.

"So, you said none of the ghosts of the castle could see or hear you either?" Dumbledore's voice rang in my ear and dragged me out of my unpleasant reverie.

He sure didn't want me to ramble about it, and I was sure I didn't want to let myself do so either. I chased the bad thoughts away and focused on my conversation with the headmaster. Who knows if that could be in any way helpful later.

* * *

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore's raucous voice erupted through the noisy Great Hall.

Students got quiet, girls stopped giggling and chatting, boys shut their mouth, and Scott, who was making fun of another Hufflepuff from the Quidditch team, got serious in no time. All attention was now turned to the headmaster, who was standing by with that stately stature of his and eyes radiating the wisdom and power that makes him the great wizard he is, looking confident and fearless.

"Just seeing him standing like that makes me feel like crap," Scott whispered what was certainly the thought of anyone in the room.

"Dear students," the headmaster began after slowly pulling his grey robes backwards. "As you all know, many events have happened this year. A beloved student we thought we had lost forever is back here among us, and a brilliant witch has recovered from her injuries."

Hermione and I shared a quick inquisitive glance.

"With the secondary events that followed," Dumbledore paused a moment, letting everyone know he was now referring to the trial, "we didn't have time to properly celebrate these two cheerful returns. So that's why I'm announcing to you that Hogwarts will be officially honoring Cedric Diggory's resurrection with a special event: a ball that will take place in two weeks."

How could I explain that? My embarrassment and surprise were covered up by a series of opposite reactions: first, a wave of astonishment went through the room. Then girls erupted, started chatting again: talking about how enthusiastic and excited they were, complaining about how short the period was to find a proper dress. The boys were divided between the annoyance of having to attend such a boring event, and the satisfaction that they got to pick their dates: some of them were already starting to scan the Great Hall to find the cute girls of the school. The Slytherins didn't hide their discontentment to honor someone who wasn't from their house and started huffing.

McGonagall's and Sprout's little smiles showed that they had been informed, and that maybe they had even approved this. Snape was prodigiously exposing how disdained he was about this situation, probably thinking it was the last straw to honor two thieves. All that almost hid Umbridge's sweet reaction. Apparently, she was totally oblivious of this whole ball thing, and she let it be known with a glorious "What?", which was fully masked by the students' chatting.

"Congrats Cedric!" my friends erupted, patting my shoulders and started to sing our Hufflepuff hymn, proud that one of them was being honored.

I smiled trying to forget that I was completely uncomfortable about this announcement and finally got to catch Hermione's look. She stared at me with a huge grin, exposing her joy and pride. Harry had this shy smile on his face next to her, and Ron rolled his eyes, eating a piece of chicken.

That they liked it or not: no one could ignore the fact that I was back among them.

* * *

"Oh Merlin, this is fantastic!" Lavender shouted out excitedly, as she halted next to me and Hermione, who had just left the Great Hall. "A ball...again! This is so great you happened to come back among us."

Her lame sentence made Hermione frown and raised a smile on my face. Lavender covered her mouth. "I'm sorry; that's not what I meant. Of course we're glad you're alive again, and this ball is a wonderful way to show it."

"It's okay. I'm not offended," I reassured her with a cool tone.

She flushed a bit and quickly walked off.

"Did Dumbledore's announcement upset you?" Hermione asked with a soft voice.

"I don't know. No, I don't think I am upset. Just surprised. I wasn't expecting such recognition," I answered and looked at my girlfriend with a smirk. "What surprises me is that you're not upset."

"Why would I be? I'm glad you're finally being honored. People couldn't ignore that a return like yours isn't some common thing. After the third task and ministry's propaganda, you hadn't had the recognition you deserved. Your return is definitely something to celebrate."

She smiled and tenderly squeezed my hand. I smiled back at her then shook my head. "For sure you are not upset! Because Dumbledore didn't mention your name in this ball thing." She stared at me with an outraged face, then confessed the truth by cracking up in giggles. "Cedric Diggory, you know me too well."

"Sorry to interrupt such a lovely moment, but Cedric has classes, and I actually care about his future," Scott walked in.

Hermione smiled and let go off my hand as Scott started to gently drag me.

"Bring him back to me. I'm counting on you," she said with an amused tone.

"Don't worry; he'll be back in the exact condition. No cracks, no stains!" he exclaimed.

I heard her laugh ring out in the corridor, as she left for her next class.

We were both walking along the corridors when my friend asked me, "So who will your mate for the ball be? Because I'm really considering the idea of asking Hermione."

I puffed. "Gather your balls and ask your crush."

Scott felt a bit stung by my words but shrugged. "My balls are on the right place, but thanks for worrying. Maybe I'll ask her to be my date, maybe not. It all depends on the situation."

"She's training in the Dumbledore's army, isn't she? That can be the first step to get to know her," I paused when I saw Scott's face. "But you already knew that, right? That's why you suddenly felt enthusiastic to join me?" Scott had a huge smirk.

"Maybe," he answered, "but she probably doesn't know me. I'm always avoiding her."

His sentence rang a bell. "Wait a minute, the day you abandoned me for no reason just when I was about to speak to Hermione, who was mad at me at the time, and that you started your stupid speech… You didn't do this to help me to take my responsibilities like you pretended, you were just running away from her!"

"I wasn't running away!" Scott defended.

He stared at me then he starting cracking up. This view had a knack to get me miffed. "You're so stupid!" I exclaimed, hitting his shoulder. "And I thought you were being a good friend to me. You were actually just escaping your own responsibilities!". Scott kept on laughing and let out a small groan when he got the punch.

"Congratulations Diggory," a voice echoed in the corridor. "You come back and you're treated like a hero: the position of Quidditch captain is just given back to you, and now Dumbledore himself organizes a ball just for you. You could make anyone tempted to die."

Scott turned serious in a second and we both turned our attention towards the boy: Draco Malfoy.

"If you're so desperate of recognition then have a try. Maybe the Quidditch position your father bought for you in the team will be generously given to you this time."

The corner of Malfoy's mouth raised.

"Who are you taking to the ball? Don't tell me you're planning on taking your mudblood. Your family has a respectable position; don't let her stain your name."

"Shut up!" I snapped with what was close to a roar. Scott now had his fist clenched.

Malfoy let out a despising snicker.

"So, it is true? You actually care about her. Even after seeing you two together and reading Rita Skeeter's article, a part of me was hoping you were only going out with her by mere...gratitude. Maybe she's giving you something in return of your company..."

"Son of..." Scott started to spit at him, just when I extended a leg and made the Slytherin lost his balance.

Malfoy tripped over and fell on the ground, right on his nose as he let out a whimper. This actually felt like a relief, since I've always wanted to hurt him. I almost felt grateful he came to me, giving me the opportunity to exploit this chance for revenge. His insults to Hermione just sounded to me like an invitation to hit him.

I knelt down next to him and grabbed his collar. "Okay. I'm in a good mood today, so here is the deal: you stay away from her, from Harry, and from her friends, and I promise your nose won't be damaged a second time. You know, I'm quite a pacifist, and I've never held a grudge against you in the years past. But now, it's different: I made it personal! You say just one single wrong word to her, and I finish my job."

"Oh come on, just beat him up!" Scott exclaimed, lifting his arms in the air in an annoyed way.

I made the boy stand up, still grabbing his robes.

"Why would I obey you?" Malfoy spat, as he was wiping the blood away from his face.

"Because I'm offering you the opportunity to cover up this humiliation. I won't tell a word about how your nose was stupidly broken."

"The way he fell on the floor reminded me of a chicken tripping over a stone," Scott chimed in with an amused tone.

"See?" I spoke, satisfied that Scott was playing the game with me "Very humiliating. I'm sure you wouldn't want anyone to know about that, would you?"

"I could denounce you to Umbridge. You broke my nose!" he shouted.

"That takes the cake!" Scott snickered.

"Not my fault you had the genius idea of falling right on your nose," I said with a serene tone of voice and shrugged.

"As if it wasn't enough you have a twisted tongue, you also need to have crooked legs," Scott continued.

Malfoy looked down as an agreement to the deal. I loosened my grip and let him take a few steps back. Then I reached for my wand and pointed it at Malfoy's face, which automatically contorted, looking surprised that I was breaking my deal.

"What are you...," he started with a panicked voice.

I cut him off by casting the spell. The unpleasant sound of a bone coming back in its usual position echoed in the corridor.

Malfoy groaned and bent over, then slowly stood back up. He then slowly touched his nose anticipating an acute pain that didn't come. He turned his hard look away and stormed off. I considered this his promise to respect his part of the deal. I shared a glance with my friend then put my wand back into my pocket.

"For a second, I hesitated to intercede." We heard a voice coming from a corner. Scott and I immediately recognized McCoy.

"So why didn't you do it?" I asked.

"Because of the two of you. You have never been the one to get detention because he started a fight. I knew you wouldn't willfully hurt him," he spoke with a soft voice as he walked up to us, his hands hidden in his robes. "And because we're talking about Malfoy."

"So, you're not going to report this?" I said, totally surprised.

Aaron gazed at me for a few seconds then tilted his head. "Report what?"

He had a barely perceptible smirk then started to walk away. "My warmest regards to Granger. Now go to your class."

Scott and I both shrugged and left. Then I realized that Aaron had been passive for one reason: the altercation was about Hermione, between who despised her and who cared for her. McCoy had clearly let us know that he was among those who respected her.


	10. When old, good times are missed

**_Hermione POV_**

I was running along the corridors with the velocity of a jaguar chasing down its prey. Except…I wasn't the predator but the prey. This is the best way to explain the situation that I found myself in. I was late for Snape's next class. Last time, he had clearly threatened to put me in detention if I was late, and he had let me know, -once again!- that he was sure I had taken some of his Life Essence. Since then, I promised myself I would have a perfect behavior around him. And this morning, I was going to sweep all these last days of well-behavior just like that, just because I hadn't woken up early enough. The night before, I had stayed up most of the night because of schoolwork, and I had fallen asleep over my books. I had woken up, dressed up without having breakfast and was now going to my class.

But Snape couldn't care less; I was now offering him the opportunity to get mad at me. Oh poor me, I totally felt like his prey right now.

When I reached the last corridor, I caught a glimpse of a fifth-year Ravenclaw student who was slowly coming in the classroom. I let out a sigh of relief and sped up just in time to grab the door before it would close again. All the students had just taken their places at the tables. I quietly shut the door and started tiptoeing to the closest free chair around. The sooner I would be sitting, the safer I would be.

"I assume it's an honor for us all to have you here. Maybe that's why you're allowing yourself to get here late. Isn't that right, Miss Granger?" a voice said.

I bit my bottom lip violently, while all the students turned their heads to look at me. I glanced at Malfoy who was quietly snickering, though his discreet behavior took me by surprise. Why that sudden sympathy (or maybe 'not-completely-cruel' would fit better) toward me?

"I'm sorry, professor. But if I may say so, the class hasn't started yet. I didn't disturb you."

Snape shot me a violent glare. It was as effective as an Avada Kedavra, and my heart skipped a beat.

"My class starts at the moment the door gets released by the last student coming in. Catching it before it is completely closed doesn't mean you weren't disturbing my so not captivating lesson. I'm sorry I can't feed your interest."

Well, he was being violent. I guess that responding to him wasn't the smartest thing I could have done.

"But maybe you can," he continued. "Give us some of your extra-time experiences. After all, we should all be hanging from your lips right now; you're the one who brought someone from the dead. Learning how to prepare an elixir of memory must be incredibly boring next to your accomplishment."

I held back a frustrated sigh staring down at the floor.

* * *

"I hate Snape with all my heart!" I erupted with a hard look before turning my attention to the two Hufflepuffs in front of me.

"Oh this is such a déjà vu moment," Scott said "I think this is the moment you must propose to her". He turned to Cedric with a visible smirk on his face. My boyfriend ignored the tease and turned his attention back to me.

"I know he's a p..." Cedric started before shutting his mouth.

"Come on; just say it in front of her. I know you always want to protect her from any harm, but slang isn't going to make her ears bleed," Scott said with laughter.

"Snape is a pain in the **" my boyfriend let go, more to make Logan shut up than actually saying this to me. "And he enjoys being so. As long as he doesn't try to denounce you concerning the Life Essence, let him play his favorite game."

Scott rolled his eyes, as he pushed Cedric aside to lean over the table, in front of me, clearly letting him know that he was now leading the conversation.

"What kind of boyfriend are you, exactly? Speaking about peace, being patient, and bearing the unbearable. Hermione wants revenge!"

Cedric let out an exasperated groan.

"Let's ruin his life; I won't stop until I see him crying his eyes out. This is how real life works."

"'This is how real life works'," Cedric repeated with an exasperated tone of voice. "You must be right then because you just always know the right thing to do, but could you just please remind us who's the single one around this table?"

The two boys shared a long look: divided between contentment for one and annoyance for the other.

"Okay, I give you this one," his friend stated with a cool voice. "Sounds pretty fair after I made fun of your proposal."

Cedric and Scott nodded as if sealing some tacit deal. It was incredible that even after all this time spent with them, I could still be surprised by their childish attitude.

"As much as I love your idea," I finally spoke. "Cedric is right. I have to accept the idea that my life is a pitiful one because of Snape."

I sighed and let myself fall forward, as I stuck my forehead against the hard wood table. I heard Cedric chuckle, as he leaned in and rested his face over his extended arm. We were face to face, his nose only a few inches away from mine, upside down. He was smiling at me, not breaking eye contact and making me feel like we were the only people in this room.

"I'm sure your life is not as pitiful as you say," he murmured.

"Maybe not at this second…precisely," I confessed with a pout.

His other free hand slowly reached for me, as he brushed a lock of hair back behind my ear.

During those few seconds, I forgot everything. Cedric's gaze on me was like an eraser, erasing any bad memories from that morning. I found myself hoping that this moment would last forever. Cedric slightly raised his head to have a look up around the Great Hall that was slowly filling up with students, and then he started standing back up. Even so, he did a quick right-bend, and I felt his lips brush against mine in a short and gentle kiss. I didn't have time to react. He was already seated back straight on the bench in a neutral posture with a playful smile on the face.

Harry's tensed features as he entered the Great Hall took my attention away from my boyfriend, and I quickly took a seat next to him at the Gryffindor table.

"Is something wrong?"

"My father," Ron spoke. "According to him, the ministry is thinking about coming up to Hogwarts to arrest Dumbledore."

"What? Why?"

"Because he goes against the ministry," Harry spoke. "And is mostly against Umbridge's decisions. They are under the impression that he's acting like a traitor."

I nervously rubbed my temple.

"This is really bad," I whispered. "If Dumbledore leaves the castle, Umbridge will have all the authority. And Hogwarts won't be safe anymore."

"I know," Harry spoke. "That's why we need to keep up Dumbledore's army. This is our way to pursue his work if something happens. We can't count on the ministry to protect us from Voldemort."

"We must have a reunion," Ginny spoke up.

Harry nodded. "Let all the members know we'll be reuniting this evening, after school."

Ron, Ginny, and I nodded. I couldn't help glancing at Dumbledore's empty chair. Imagining being here without him around made me feel vulnerable: he was my headmaster, but he also had been my defender during the trial against Umbridge and Snape. More than ever, I realized how grave the situation was and how much more serious it could get.

* * *

_**Cedric POV**_

The news that Dumbledore could actually be pulled away from Hogwarts by the Ministry quickly spread between the members of the secret army. Taken by surprise, I found myself viewing the Ministry as the big traitor of this situation. Trying to mask Voldemort's return behind some rambling of an old and senile wizard felt more cruel than their decision to hide the circumstances of my death. Yes, my murder had been pitifully disguised into some tragic accident, but trying to ruin a living person's reputation was much more mischievous.

But no matter what would happen, I was sure I would be one of those many people who would stand up for Dumbledore's sanity.

And that was my new goal, when Scott and I were making our way along the corridors to go to the Room of Requirement. My friend was walking with this slight enthusiasm that I identified as the satisfaction of seeing his crush again, but yet with that little panic of being ignored. When we turned a corridor, we caught a glimpse of Malfoy standing by with his two...puppies: he quickly looked away, avoiding our gaze and quickly made up an excuse to go to another place.

I admit I wasn't able to refrain from smirking when watching this. It was just too tasty.

After a couple of seconds, Scott started speeding up his pace with a whole new pep that I immediately linked to Malfoy's altercation. We reached the wall, and just when the door opened, we spotted Hermione right before us at the other end of the room. She waved and started walking toward us.

"Don't give us away," I threatened Scott while keeping up my neutral face as we were walking to meet her.

"I wasn't going to give us away!" he responded, but also giving a smile to Hermione.

"Then don't brag," I continued.

"I wasn't going to brag about it." We were now halfway.

"Just don't do what you planned on doing," I warned. I knew him just too well to know that he was dying to tell Hermione everything the second she would be facing him. That was his bad habit: selling things out just to get cheers, laughs, and pride. Not that I absolutely wanted to respect my part of the deal, or that I wanted to keep him safe from any public humiliation; I just didn't want my girlfriend to think she was dating some offender or immature guy.

Scott nodded quietly, though his tone was showing his obvious discontentment.

"Okay?"

"Fine!"

"Good."

"Good," he spat.

Our argument immediately came to an end a half second before we finally met up with Hermione. She observed us both, and then put her hands on her hips.

"What were you arguing about?" she sighed, then paused. "No, actually my question is: do you ever stop arguing at some moments?".

"No, we're good," I said.

"Yeah, we're totally slash completely slash perfectly good," Scott chimed in.

My girlfriend made her pout, the one that was clearly saying that she didn't believe a word we were saying, and got in-between us, grabbing both our arms.

"Okay, the training is about to start. But first, I would like to introduce you to some members." She called a girl, who seemed quite older than all the others. Her brown hair was short, not even reaching down her shoulders, and naturally curly. A thin fringe was covering a part of her forehead. And she had piercing green eyes. "Lena Harris, this is Cedric and Scott Logan."

Scott turned nervous in no time, while I did my best to hide an amused smile: this meeting with my best friend's crush would sure be funny.

"I know you," Lena spoke with a friendly tone of voice. "You've both been captain of the Quidditch team."

"Did you hear that? She actually knows who I am," Scott whispered to me.

"Thanks, but I'm not deaf, yet," I whispered back.

"Lena, can you introduce Scott to the rest of the group?" Hermione proposed with a mischievously innocent tone of voice.

The girl politely nodded and walked off, closely followed by Scott. I started following as well but felt someone grip my hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" Hermione said. "Give them some privacy."

"And miss all the fun? I absolutely need to be with them, so I can gather some new files against him."

I had only taken a few steps when I was immediately dragged back by Hermione.

The training went well. During the following hour, Scott and I both practiced new spells, more elaborate than the other fifth-year students. Hermione was keeping a close-eye on us and smiling every time I casted a new spell she wasn't aware I could actually do. The hint of pride in her eyes made me feel like the most important guy and like the most powerful wizard of this room. I couldn't help feeling flattered: yes I've always been a good and conscientious wizard student, but actually feeling like you could accomplish anything just by having a look at your girlfriend's eyes, who was admiring you like her super-hero, was an incredible thrill.

"Okay, I would like to use the last minutes to organize some duels," Harry spoke with a high voice. We all stopped and gathered around him, as he observed us all.

"Cedric, are you okay with that?" he proposed, with a hint of shyness to make such a decision when I was older. "You're the most experienced one, so that could be a good exercise."

I nodded, as Harry asked if anyone was ready to confront me. Some people started looking down as if ashamed at the idea to dare fighting me.

"I am!" A voice spoke coming from behind the group. The person slowly made his way through the crowd and proudly stood in front of us. It was Ron.

We heard Ginny sigh, Lavender held back a squeal, and Hermione quickly rushed at the boy's side. Ron was keeping up a hard look on me.

"Does that bother you if I have a try?" he said with an unendurable, provoking tone of voice.

"What are you trying to prove?" Hermione asked grabbing his forearm.

"It doesn't," I answered with a calm voice, a slight smile on my face, while looking straight at him.

Hermione turned round and clearly showed me her shocked -and outraged- face. She shot a glance of panic at Harry, who contented himself by sighing. She finally surrendered, expressing it by letting her arms heavily fall down her body. All the students took steps back, leaving the duel zone free. I was standing straight and only thought of this 'fight' that I had always hoped would start. Scott came behind me and squeezed my shoulder.

"You want a quick massage?" he whispered.

As if Hermione's could hear, she rushed to us.

"Scott, move the heck away from him! This is not a boxing match."

He obeyed and joined the group, cleverly standing next to Lena. Hermione was now beside Harry. I heard him whisper: "I hope this doesn't turn out like my duel with Malfoy during our second year".

The duel began.

"Expelliarmus," Ron shouted out, but I blocked it with a simple wave of wand.

My response, and the way I made it look so easy, made Ron angrier.

From that moment on, he charged many spells at me. I tried my best to dodge them all and never respond. I just had time to block a new attack of spells when I was hit by one. I flew across the room and fell to the ground.

I stood up and cast a silent spell. Ron was hit and barely moved. Smug, he smirked and hexed me. The bright light dashed toward me, but I stayed still, wand down. The light then made a bend and headed straight for Ron, who opened his eyes wide in shock, as he got hit by his own spell. He fell to the ground, and tried again, and again, each time knocked down by his hexes.

"Stop casting spells. Don't you see you can't break his hex?" Hermione shouted, obviously fed up by this repetitive situation.

"Finite Incantatem," Ron said trying to end this.

Harry, Hermione, Scott, and I didn't hide our weariness by letting out a sigh.

"It's an Alter Ego spell, Ron," my girlfriend finally blurted out. "All your spells are powerless, and you can't cancel it yourself."

Ron was moving about, so much that anyone could think he had been hit by some spell, fighting against his own wand.

"Okay, the duel is over," I spoke.

"It's not!"

"Ron," Harry shouted out.

"Why don't you want to fight me?"

"Stop that!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Glacius!" Ron yelled.

The light dashed for me then turned around to charge at him.

"Finite Incantatem," I spoke up with a calm voice, the light vanishing right before it could reach him, as the Alter Ego spell I had casted earlier was canceled at the same time.

A very long and embarrassed silence settled in the room. Everyone was looking at, or pretending not to look at, Ron who was quietly, fuming like I've never seen before.

"Hmm…the lesson is over. You all did a good job. Thanks for coming," Harry spoke.

The room was soon empty.

"You never wanted to fight me. You just planned on humiliating me," Ron spat.

"Actually, I was trying to calm you down. You were taking this very seriously."

"Or maybe you were scared!"

"Please, Weasel. He's the one who beat you hands down," Scott intervened. "Like literally…hands down."

"You did everything you could to humiliate me, so that Hermione doesn't have any consideration for me anymore."

This sounded like the most diabolic plan ever made up. I could have almost considered myself a monster if I didn't know that the boy was totally wrong.

"What are talking about?" Hermione snapped at him, highly indignant.

"I think I better leave," I said, then turned my back on them.

That's when I heard Ronald cast a new spell.

"Aqua eructo."

Hermione who had just followed me, got in the way and was touched by the spell. She let out a squeal as a powerful jet of water, almost a wave as it heightened because of Ronald's emotions, flooded her. When it finally stopped, all our eyes were wide open. Ginny was covering her mouth, and Ron was biting his bottom lip.

Hermione was gasping, soaking wet from head to foot.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she yelled at the red-head.

"I...I'm sor...But you stood right in my way!"

"And this is your defense? I should have stood out of your way, while you were free to assault my boyfriend who had his back turned?"

"Are you blind? Your boyfriend has been setting you against me!" he roared, as he pointed a guilty finger at me.

Hermione immediately riposted by raising a threatening finger as well.

"Shut up!" she snapped at him. "I want you to apologize to Cedric."

"Hermione, no," I spoke, taking a few steps toward her and holding onto her forearm. "You're soaking wet; you're going to get a cold. Let's just go."

She and Weasley were fighting with the strength of their looks, digging holes into the stone wall.

"What is your problem, exactly?" she asked.

"You really want to hear it?" Ronald challenged her. She nodded. I freaked out a bit, fearing some embarrassing love declaration or something.

"The truth is I miss the old, good times when the dead were gone for good!" he muttered.

Hermione let out a horrified shriek. Her eyes got wet a half-second later. "What does that mean?" she murmured afraid of understanding his statement.

"I wish Diggory stayed dead after that bloody tournament."

"Filthy bastard," Scott spat, taking a step up, as if he had been punched right on the chest.

My girlfriend's reaction was even faster: she slapped the Gryffindor, the sound of the smack echoing in the room.

"At this second, you've hurt everyone here," she whispered, like she was ashamed that anyone would hear such an offensive discussion. "Even Malfoy couldn't do worse. What you said was an insult to Cedric, to me, who did everything to bring him back, and to your best friend."

Ron turned and saw Harry standing, obviously upset and overwhelmed by old memories flooding up to the surface.

The boy was silent, his lips pursed, torn away between many feelings, though anger was the most visible one.

"I don't want to be friends anymore with a person like you. And Cedric has nothing to do with this; you failed everything all by your own doing."

Ronald opened up his mouth but shut it right after, silenced by the only authority of Hermione's stare. I gently held her shoulders and led her out of the Room of Requirement, each steps taking her further from their friendship.

* * *

**Author's note:**** Hey, guys! Sorry for the delay. I hope you liked this chapter, and that leads me to a question: I was considering the idea to stop this sequel. There are less and less reviews and I think maybe this new plot isn't very interesting. So if you guys would agree to give me your opinion. Just let me know if I should go on, or not. I've been lacking of motivation lately, so if you could prove me wrong that would be cool. ;) (so don't hesitate to push THE button)**


	11. When worries flood up to the surface

**Author's note: Hey guys! All your reviews of support made me realize that I could not stop this fiction like this. You deserve more, and Cedric and Hermione deserve more. So I'm in, again! Besides that, your reviews really gave me a new enthusiasm, and I came up with a bunch of new ideas for the plot. I really hope you'll enjoy. **

**So for now, here is the new chapter, and see you soon :D ...Love ya' all !**

* * *

**Cedric POV**

Just like I had predicted, we were just finishing our dinner in the Great Hall when I noticed that Hermione was sick. After the incident, she had quickly changed her clothes, but I guess we hadn't been quick enough. I was now watching her rest her forehead on her hand and eating slowly. Ronald was a few seats away, pretty far from her, Harry, and any other from the usual Gryffindor group. He kinda looked like the outcast, not that I was sorry for him.

When dessert appeared on the table, I stood up and went to their table. I held Hermione's forearm, telling Harry I would be taking her to rest. The young boy immediately nodded with a shy look. I led my girlfriend through the corridors; as we reached the Fat Lady, I voiced the password (I didn't have to ask Hermione for it. We gave our House passwords to each other, just in case).

Everyone was now enjoying their dessert, so the Common Room was empty. Knowing the place like the back of my hand since I've been here many times as a non-complete ghost, then sneaking in everytime I wanted to take her somewhere in the middle of the night, I quickly reached the girls' bedroom.

I pretended I wanted to check no one was coming to give Hermione some privacy so that she can change into her pajamas. When I came back in, I found her sitting on her bed, looking dizzy, but kinda having that stubborn look on her face clearly saying "I'm doing it my way".

I sighed and walked straight to her bed. I bent down to grab her ankles, lifting her legs in the air and up on the mattress.

" Cedric, I can't. I still have that schoolwork..." I cut her off by slowly pushing her backwards, my palm on her shoulder, and finally managed to lay her down completely. I almost let out a victory shout.

I gently brushed her hair away from her face and observed the new deep flush which now tinged her cheeks.

"I should have used the dryer spell on you," I spoke.

"Something you weren't allowed to do since magic is supposedly dangerous for me. Besides that, I'm fine. It's just a cold. Tomorrow, I'll feel better."

"You want to talk about what happened with Ronald?" I asked, sitting on the bed.

"With who?" she responded, almost with a spat. "Here's my rule: what happened today and the R word are forbidden. I don't want to hear about any of them."

"I'm sure he didn't mean what he said," I lied, trying to ease the situation and make it look less dramatic than it is.

"He totally meant it, and you perfectly know that. He just wants to hurt us…me. So that's why, for my own sake, I want to stay away from him."

Her stern face lost all its gravity when she sneezed. She put her hand on her nose and rolled her eyes.

"So sexy," she muttered. I giggled at her words.

She then kept quiet for several seconds and started twisting her fingers: the signal she was thinking of something serious.

"Don't you fear to have some remorse?" she asked.

"About what?"

Hermione shyly rubbed her temple.

"Us. Our relationship. I mean, since you came back, you're with me. And you proposed, so I guess that means you want to spend the rest of your lifetime with me."

"So what?" I asked, amused.

"Well, a lifetime is quite long. Are you sure you won't have any regret if we get married?"

I raised an eyebrow and exposed my teeth in the hugest smile ever. "Does that mean you're considering the idea to say yes?"

"Just answer my question, Diggory," she spoke with a slightly demanding tone, even though the side of her mouth rose a bit.

I leaned in closer to her.

"I actually think that a lifetime with you isn't long enough," I whispered.

"Stop being a tease and let those set phrases in the books wherein you read them. I'm serious," she erupted chasing me away with a wave and a contained chuckle.

"Because you think I'm kidding?"

"Well, you know what people think of our relationship. It's unusual -and that's why I love it so much-, but who knows if you won't feel any remorse when you're older. You're young, you're alive, and you're good-looking; you could have any girl. Maybe we should take a break."

"Take a break?" I repeated, not hiding my smile at all. I put on my very reflexive face. "Hmm, let me think about it".

"Well, it's better than you cheating on me because you'll be frustrated," Hermione spoke with the most casual tone of voice she could muster.

She was caught by surprise when I covered her forehead with my palm. She kept still, a worried look on her face, waiting for me to explain my gesture.

"Weird. You don't have fever, though," I said.

Hermione let out a groan of frustration and gripped my hand. I riposted by grabbing her wrists and leaning in, my torso resting on hers.

"Why don't you take me seriously?" she complained, as she stopped struggling and staring down at her chin.

"Because all of the things you just said…is nonsense to me," I remained silent a few seconds and waited for her to turn her attention back on me. And she did, her captivating brown eyes looking deep into mine. "Because I know without a doubt, that I won't feel any remorse. And I'm certainly not thinking of going after another girl. I mean, why would I even do that? I found everything I could hope for with you. So maybe people will say we're stupid, others will say we're irrational and blind, honestly I don't care as long as we're together. Remember? It's us against the world."

Her severe features progressively contorted into a smile during my speech.

"Us against the world," she repeated with a whisper.

"But you're right about something, though. I'm young, alive, and good-looking enough to you, so that you make it a statement. And that's why I want to enjoy all of this; so now I'm going to lean closer and kiss you."

I started doing so, but Hermione stopped me.

"But I'm sick!" she exclaimed.

I guess the desire I was feeling manifested itself in my insisting stare at her.

"I don't care," I murmured, feeling like my voice was being cut off by my emotions.

For once, Hermione went silent (second internal victory shout) and closed her eyes, when I leaned in. My lips captured hers in a soft yet needy motion. I felt her smile while kissing me back.

"So you're sure you won't be fed up of kissing me only?" I heard her breathe out after pulling away.

"Please, will you stay quiet?" I sighed, then crushed my lips back on hers.

A giggle echoed in her throat as her arms clasped around my neck.

* * *

The next day being Saturday, I was filling my morning in the Great Hall. Some students were doing their schoolwork, others reading, chatting, or playing games. For anyone around, I was doing nothing, twirling my wand above the wood table, though no light or anything magical was going out of the process.

Dumbledore was seated on the great chair, still. Yet, I could feel his gaze on me, like trying to scan me with his piercing blue eyes. He seemed to be in a deep concentration, expecting some answers to pop out straight from me. I chose to ignore it and pretend to be oblivious of his attitude. After all, I died and was brought back to life with a unique spell and potion; I couldn't blame him for trying to figure out this phenomenon.

Hermione soon entered the hall, holding books, parchments and her feather. She sat on the bench, right in front of me.

"Morning," her voice rang.

I looked up at her and smiled, as I noticed that her natural colors were back.

"Hey, you healed."

"I told you it was a mere cold. I feel good, now."

I turned my attention back on my wand, drawing circles with it. My mouth rose up in a smirk.

"I'm pretty sure that my initiative to kiss you was the big cure."

The expectation to hear her sigh or roll her eyes flatted down like a cake in the oven.

"And I think you're right. Would you agree to do it again, soon?" she erupted with enthusiasm.

"As if I would say no."

I chuckled, first amused by picturing myself answering negatively to her request but also playing with Hermione - who I was sure was just fooling around with me.

"Good. Then, what about a snog session in the astronomy tower at four?"

I stopped in my twirling-the-wand process, and stared at my girlfriend, who was exposing her biggest grin.

"Snog? That word doesn't belong in your vocabulary. What is it?"

"You know, when two people are very into each other, they express their feelings by..." I shot her a piercing glance that made her smile. She then got serious in no time. "I'm just trying to be inventive, and spice things up a bit," she justified, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"Things?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

She sighed like giving up. "Well, me."

"I don't know who squashed all these ideas into your head" I sighed, thinking of our previous discussion the evening before. "You don't have to change; you being you is what I love the most."

Hermione nodded and reached out her arm to hold my hand.

"Does that mean you don't want me to loosen up?" she asked after a moment.

I felt like my tease time had come.

"Don't worry, I'll personally make sure to loosen you up," I said with the most innocent tone of voice.

My girlfriend blushed in a cute and wonderful way for me to watch. And then I started twirling my wand again.

"What are you doing?" I heard her ask.

"Think of an object." She looked at me, confused, and I urged her with a nod.

She closed her eyes a couple of seconds then gave me a sign that she was done.

I twirled my wand like the many times I did before, pointing it down at the table. A silver spoon appeared on the table. Hermione's eyes opened wide while I furrowed my brows.

"Seriously? A spoon? I ask you to think of an object and you picture a spoon?"

"Well, I'm hungry!" she defended, a bit miffed and shy. She then leaned closer to me, amazingly curious. "It's not occlumency, is it?"

I glanced at the spoon - huffing at her unusual choice - then turned my attention back at her.

"It's not. Because I don't know what the other person was thinking about until it actually materializes."

Hermione seemed amazed, like totally turned upside down by my magical knowledge (I saw that by the pride she had on her face). She grabbed the spoon and stared at it.

"Well, lucky you I didn't think of a wardrobe or a car. What would you have done if I did?"

"Life is not worth living without risks," my mouth blurted out with some mechanical reflex. This was my motto, and it's because of this motto that I decided to enter the tournament. Hermione seemed to understand and gave me a warm smile.

That's when the spoon she was holding slowly vanished and soon totally disappeared.

"It's temporary?" she asked.

"I'm still practicing."

"By your own?"

"I was practicing with Scott, but I ended up shoving him off. He wasn't doing his part of the job seriously," I explained.

"What was he thinking about?" Hermione was now curious.

I cringed, thinking of my best friend's sick mind.

"Sex toys," I said quite perplexed. "Some even had Flitwick's picture on it."

I looked at Hermione, as we both tried not to find the joke funny. She was the first one to cede and cracked into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

When we finally went quiet, I held Hermione's fingers.

"So tell me. Did you find your dress for the ball?"

"I haven't even started looking for one…yet."

I smiled. "I'm not surprised, and that's why I thought we could go to Hogsmeade and seek out for one together?"

I felt like Hermione was ready to let out a sigh of despair, though she chose to crack a smile.

"Really? You want to go shopping. The whole afternoon. With me?"

"I did it once; I think I can do it again," I answered, referring to the day we bought the potion ingredients.

"Don't you prefer to do that spell again? I'm sure I can think of a beautiful dress to wear," she proposed trying to shirk. She offered me her best puppy-dog eyes.

I winced shaking my head. "I don't think I'll appreciate all the boys staring at you after your dress suddenly vanishes during a dance. Beside that," I continued looking deep in her eyes. "I really want to spend all the afternoon just with you, even if that means going shopping."

Hermione bit her bottom lip and gave me a warm smile. "What planet do you come from?" she asked amazed.

* * *

**GENERAL POV**

Dumbledore was still sitting on his chair, watching the two students who made this school year so special - probably the most memorable one since he had been picked to be the headmaster of Hogwarts.

He kept stroking his beard for a while, even after the Gryffindor girl and the Hufflepuff boy left the Hall. He then took his wand and waved it. A heavy and old book suddenly appeared in the air and fell right into his hands. He put it on the table and slowly turned the pages, reading again and again the lines he knew by heart. His mind being plunged into the paper pages, he didn't hear Minerva McGonogall walk up to him, and stand right beside him.

"Did you find anything?" she asked with a familiar tone of voice - the tone he mostly heard when the teacher was particularly concerned.

"The book doesn't say anything that could help us," he answered with his usual controlled voice.

"Then maybe, it's a good sign. After all, nobody has accomplished this spell before, and Miss Granger already suffered from it."

The headmaster nodded and closed the book – the same book that Hermione Granger under her bed.

" From what I've learned in my whole lifetime of wizardry, the great spells always have their consequences. You can't come back from dead and be the exact same person you were before."


	12. Being the centre of attention

**Author's note: I owe you a huge apology for this very long delay. I had some issue to contact my betas. Anyway, here is the new chapter. I'll try to be very quick for the next one. I just came back from the theaters, and I can't believe that Harry Potter is officially over. I also watched Harry Potter and the Gof: seeing Cedric gave me the motivation to keep going with my story. **

**Thanks for all your alerts. ;)**

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**Cedric POV**

Less than an hour later, Hermione and I were making our way to Hogsmeade. Officially, this was my first day out since my resurrection. Except for the trial and the weekends I was spending at my family's home, my social life was pretty dull. Dumbledore and the school were worried about my security and welfare and McGonagall, who signed our permissions slips, didn't miss the opportunity to tell us to be careful and discreet. They weren't the only ones, I have to admit I was a bit scared to go out myself. When you're dead for almost a year, then back alive, you know that people would be frightened of you. You just tend to avoid any confrontation with the public, to avoid those meaningful stares from the strangers at you.

Anyway, I felt as if that day of shopping with Hermione would be the great first step to get back into the wizard world (not that Hogsmeade was a huge challenge considering the size of this village).

The weather was just perfect for the spring season. Hermione and I were walking slowly, taking all the time we wanted. We finally got to enjoy our liberty and my girlfriend's recovery as she tenderly held my hand, as if this sign of affection made us a "normal couple".

When we approached the village we let go, preferring to keep our relationship safe and secret (even if I don't think that people would think that a boy would accompany a girl to buy a ball dress for no reason).

Just when we made our entrance, the reaction was pretty much instant. Within seconds people were looking at us, some whispering about "The boy-who-died", and others about "the brilliant witch". I chose to ignore them, even though I hated this silly nickname, a part of me was aware that it wasn't a lie, and that people couldn't be kept from gossiping.

Even though some were sort of suspicious and skeptical, most of them were showing us a friendly face, smiling even when there was eye contact.

"Well, this could have been worse" Hermione whispered to me in a reassuring tone, even though I knew she was talking more to herself than me.

"Defying death is not magic, it's witchcraft!" we suddenly heard someone bravely yell from a distant spot, and concealed in the crowd.

Hermione snapped her head around, and almost immediately had a defensive, yet hurt, look on her face.

"Who dared saying this?" she muttered.

I looked all around and saw many contorted faces of people who had heard the attack as well. They seemed disturbed and outraged by the situation, trying to unmask the person in charge, as others were silently agreeing with the statement.

I finally turned my attention back on Hermione.

"Well, this could have been worse" I honestly stated with a calm voice "Let's move on, now".

She obeyed reluctantly and followed me through the path.

"How can you say that?" her mouth finally blurted out in frustration "That was very offensive and rude. How can you remain so calm and unconcerned?"

We walked past a few people before I voiced my answer.

"Because they're not totally wrong" I spoke "What we did was completely out of the regular line, but we knew the consequences. We saw it through your trial, the ministry and the journalists' reactions. We can't spend all our time responding to these people, mostly when you know they won't change their mind about it."

Hermione shot me a desperate glance. "Yes, but it hurts!" she erupted.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face her.

"Are you hurt?" I asked. I stepped closer and held her arms.

She slowly shook her head and looked away, avoiding my stare. "No, because I know what I did was right…but don't you feel bad because you know some narrow-minded people can't see further than the end of their nose?"

"I don't" I immediately riposted. I refused to let myself "damaged" by the attack, and I wanted to make sure Hermione wouldn't be either. "Do you remember what you told me concerning those people who were blaming Harry and Dumbledore for talking about Voldemort? You told me they were so mean because they were scared, scared that their perfect and calm life could fall down. And with me being back, I appear like a threat: they see their life crumbling because I can bring with me the proof that You-know-who is back. That he's the one who caused my death, and that maybe he'll be even crueler because we both defied his authority and power by doing this spell. So, I know these people don't hate me. They're just terrified by the meaning of my return, and the consequences it will have on the wizard world. Do you think people will choose to ignore the truth from someone who was killed because he was a witness of it?"

I calmed down and tried to soothe Hermione by rubbing her upper arms.

"Trust me, they're probably more hurt by the truth I bring, than I could ever be by their meanless barbs."

She slowly nodded and looked up at me as she covered one of my hand with hers.

"You're right" she murmured.

"And now, let's enjoy our afternoon" I said with a smile, trying to cheer her up, to erase the memory, and conceal the serious subject that my speech was about: Voldemort and the coming war.

If we were all doomed to get back to those terrible years that stained the wizard world, I wanted to fill in the coming hard times with the memories of the pleasant ones from the present. Today would help us preserve our future.

* * *

I was drinking a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks when I realized I hadn't done it in ages. I was glad I was able to share the moment with my girlfriend but left the pub with the promise that I would come back here with Scott and my buddies soon.

Hermione was looking a lot more laid-back than she was when we came in: she was now smiling, and enjoying the outing.

I had just put my foot outside the pub when she grabbed my forearm and offered me her best grin.

"Can we go in the bookstore?" she asked, squeezing my hand, now.

"What about your dress?" I retorted quite amused by the situation.

"We have plenty of time for that, and beside that, I don't plan on staying more than 10 minutes to buy my dress. So please..."

I wanted to roll my eyes about her last statement, but then I thought I would rather do it to pay tribute to my gullibility: how could I have really believed that Hermione Granger would dedicate a whole afternoon to buy a dress for her upcoming ball?

So after my eyes made a big circle, I nodded and let myself get dragged into the store.

"Good afternoon, sir" Hermione erupted just as the bell on the door rang.

"Good afternoon, young people" an old man answered with genuine enthusiasm, as he stepped out from behind a shelf.

He walked to us, slow with age, and smiled.

"Can I help you?" he asked looking at me. He then turned and stared at Hermione, with a totally different expression. It was surprise mixed with recognition.

"I remember you" he spoke with a more serious tone, but still friendly as he looked at her "I haven't seen you since that weekend before Christmas".

Hermione nodded with a little smile, a bit embarrassed.

"That's right" she answered. She then turned to me. "This is the man I bought the book from… or let's say Harry bought the book from his man."

I stared at him with a totally new expression, discovering that the origins of my return were due to this seller.

"Nice to meet you, sir" I spoke, as I held my hand "I'm Cedric Diggory".

He quickly glanced down at my hand with a bit of wavering, not because he was afraid, but more because he was surprised that I was so considerate to him. Eventually, he shook my hand.

"My name is Harrold Beadle"

"It's a pleasure" I said with a grin.

Mr. Beadle turned to Hermione and shook her hand too, as she was smiling at him as well.

"I could have never thought that one of the spells from my books could be at the heart of such a miracle. And I'm so impressed: a young witch like you capable of making work this old spell, considered like a myth. This is stupefying."

"Yes, she makes this effect on everyone" I spoke up, amused.

Hermione slapped my shoulder as she contained her chuckle. Mr Beadle was watching us, a smile on the lips.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked after a pause.

"I just wanted to have a look at your books" she answered.

"Of course, go on" the old man said with a wave.

She gave me a last glance then rushed to the back shelves of the shop.

"If I may say so" he said turning to me "you're a fortunate boy, Mr Diggory. She did everything she could to get this book".

I glanced at Hermione who had her mind profoundly lunged into the books then looked back at the bookseller. "I know I am" I answered, not even feeling taken aback by the fact this old stranger knew the bond between Hermione and me.

"And I'm glad that great magic can be used to repair the mistakes" he earnestly continued.

I gave him a thankful look (the best initiative I could hope for this day out) , then joined Hermione.

* * *

When we went into the dress store, the seller welcomed us with a huge grin.

Obviously, she knew there was a ball in Hogwarts.

"Finally! Here is the couple of the night!" she exclaimed. Obviously, she knew ALL the details about this ball. "I thought you would never come" she continued, as she walked behind us and slowly led us to the center of the shop.

"You, take a seat here" she said holding my forearm and pushing me down onto the chair.

"And you, follow me" she went on, now dragging a reluctant Hermione to where all the dresses were hanging.

"What kind of dress are you looking for?" the woman asked as she was looking her up and down, analyzing every curve of her body and silhouette.

Hermione answered with a shrug.

"Now I understand why you came here so late" the shopkeeper spoke as she shared with me an amused smile. "Do you have a favorite color, then?" she ventured.

Hermione started nibbling her bottom lip. "Then I think brown could totally fit, or maybe grey..."

"What about blue?" I spoke up, making a genuine proprosal. The two girls turned and looked at me as if I were a troll. Hermione's nonstop blinking made me continue. "I mean, I remember when you wore that blue jumper that day on January, and I thought this color was particularly good on you".

The surprise turned into amazement. A long silence settled in the shop, as the seller stared at me as if I were a fairy with two shining wings, obviously awed by Merlin-knows-what. Hermione had a shy smile and looked away but with that irrepressible contentment of a girl who finds out that her boyfriend actually notices and remember those kinds of details. _"So all this was about my remembering of the color of a jumper and a date?" _I thought.

I shut my mouth after that, promising myself to keep it like that until the end.

"Let's start with this beautiful marron glacé dress I just received." the woman continued, totally ignoring my piece of advice: realising the fact that my male judgment would never be considered by women almost made me go brooding.

Just when she grabbed the hanger and turned to show the outfit to us, a horrifying scream burst through the room.

We all whipped around and discovered a scene that was as melodramatic as it was funny: Ginny Weasley had her hand on her hips with the scary look of a judge, and right next to her was Lavender, covering her eyes from the monstrous sight.

"Don't tell me Hermione Granger that you dared take your dance partner with you to choose your dress for the ball" Ginny muttered.

Hermione winced as she looked at me with a confused face.

"Lavender!" her friend spoke with a quick wave. The Gryffindor girl I had once caught in her bra walked up to me and took a firm grasp of my forearm.

"Cedric, you are officially kicked out of this shopping day. You can go back to Hogwarts".

"What? Wait a minute!" Hermione exclaimed taking a step up "We planned on doing this together".

Ginny and Lavender shared a chuckle. "She's suffering from delirium" Lavender whispered as Hermione sent me a SOS signal with her eyes.

In seconds, a tornado had me out of the shop and held my girlfriend prisoner in the shop.

* * *

I spent the rest of the afternoon with a couple of Hufflepuffs from the Quidditch team since Scott was out of the castle to buy his ball suit. Aaron joined us half-hour later, and I found myself enjoying our conversation. A casual and friendly conversation we haven't had for years.

When we left the common room to go to the Great Hall, where the dinner would be soon served, I caught a glimpse of the three girls who just came in. Hermione was carrying her dress, the black garment bag hanging over her arm. She seemed quite tired, though I could perceive some contentment on her face.

She noticed me and smiled when I greeted her with a wave. Her two bodyguards immediately caught us red-handed and dragged her up the stairs to, I assume, hide her dress. As if I would run at Hermione, jostle Aaron and all the people in my way, and tear the bag apart just to get a glimpse of the dress my girlfriend would wear. I let out a laugh when I played the scene in my head.

Feeling risky, I started to consider the idea of creeping the hell out of the girls by catching up to them on the stairwell, when I heard McGonagall call my name.

"Mr Diggory" she said as she stood right in front of McCoy and me "Dumbledore would like to see you. He's waiting for you in his office."

I furrowed my brow, a bit surprised, but nodded. She went along with me until we reached the entrance to the headmaster's office. She then voiced the password and waved me to go ahead.

I found Dumbledore standing next to his desk, feeding on his phoenix.

"I really hope that my initiative to organize a ball to celebrate your return didn't put you in an awkward position" he spoke with his back still to me.

"No. I feel sort of grateful that you take the time to set this up".

"You're a student of Hogwarts. The school should celebrate such an event" the old man earnestly answered, as he eventually went back to his chair.

He waved me to sit, and then looked at me for several seconds staying quiet.

"Did you tell your parents about the ball?"

I nodded, feeling more and more surprised that the headmaster asked for me to come just to have everyone's impressions concerning this dance.

"How is your life going since your return? Did you get your bearings back?".

"I think I did. I'm working on catching up to my school work with all the teachers. I pay a visit to my family every week, I play Quidditch with my team during the training and I'm with my friends."

Dumbledore nodded with a slight satisfied smile.

"And how do you feel?"

Confusion flooded into my mind. I decided not to let the opportunity to get a clear answer go.

"Excuse me professor, but ever since my return, everyone keeps on asking me that. First I thought it was due to the fact I've been dead, but now I feel like they're referring to the spell. The jury at the beginning of the trial, the journalists." I gulped hard "Is there something I should know?"

Dumbledore eyed me like measuring my level of determination, almost as if he was considering if he should answer.

"I don't know". His response fell into my ear with the same sound of a pebble dropping into the water. This was the last words I expected coming from Dumbledore's mouth. "The thing is, nobody knows the repercussion of the Rebirth potion; so it's a mystery. But to answer you honestly, from the modest experience I've accumulated along the years, I think that any powerful spell causes a change on the person who received it."

The truth could sometimes be really mean: fearing consequences is one thing, but hearing the confirmation from Dumbledore himself is a complete other one.

When Hermione remained unconscious, in that endless sleep, I knew it was related to the spell. A part of me always knew that a powerful spell couldn''t be cast without consequences. Every medal has its reverse. But when she woke up, I hoped so hard it would be the only aftermath, and yet I was surprised and even outraged. Outraged that Hermione was the one who suffered from the spell when it should have been me. It wasn't about unfairness; it was about a coherent logic: when you slap somebody, you can't expect this person to not feel pain at all. Now that I've learned that the world was still working straight by the rules, I was wondering what the pain would feel like.

"Am I different?" I asked.

"Do you feel different?" Dumbledore questioned.

I shook my head no. "What will happen to me?" I was surprised to hear that my voice was wavering.

The headmaster felt my anxiety and stood up. He gently, almost fatherly, held my shoulder.

"Cedric" he began "My concern now is that you feel safe. You don't have to worry. No matter what comes next, you still are one of the biggest miracles of magic. And I'm sure that magic will help you if it's needed. We don't know what sort of change it would be, we don't know when it would come, and we don't even know if it might happen. You are young and you, more than anyone else in the entire wizard world, are aware of how precious life is. Just free your mind from any worries. Life is a celebration, let's start with the ball."

I left for my parents' house that same evening. I never thought that when I would return I would discover that Dumbledore had fled from Hogwarts, because of the determination of the Ministry to stop him.


	13. Family time

**Author's note****: Hey, guys! Hope you had great holidays. Here is the new chapter, a long one to apologize for this unforgivable delay. As for me, I'm travelling tomorrow and won't be able to read your feedbacks for a week, I think. I would love to come back and find many review alerts in my mailbox. I count on you ;)**

Cedric POV

I left Dumbledore's office and quickly packed up some stuff, promising myself I would follow the headmaster's advice. Who knows if I would change and how I would. Would it be mentally? Physically? I unconsciously glanced down at my body, checking if I was still walking on my two legs and if I was still having the properties of a human being. The reflex made me chuckle. But the point was there: why would I bother worrying about something that might never happen? Dumbledore was right: life is a celebration. I should spend all my time enjoying my return, than anticipating something I wouldn't be able to stop coming. Carpe diem, right?

"So you're visiting your family?" Scott asked just coming back from his shopping day out.

I nodded.

"Then tell Rose I say hi". I smiled at my best friend's attempt.

"Forget it. My mother doesn't want you in the area. She still hasn't got through the fact you almost blew up the house."

Scott let out an overdramatic agonizing sigh. "Like you said, I almost did it. But it didn't happen. Shouldn't we be celebrating this non-disaster together?"

I answered by packing up.

"Oh come on. It's been years!" Scott got quiet for a few seconds, musing over his next sentence. "Anyway, just tell her I miss them, and that I won't pass your door with my wand if needed."

"As if that would stop you" I laughed.

My friend slapped my shoulder as he rolled his eyes. "Boy, just face your mommy. Be a man and impose my presence on her."

So the pot is calling the kettle "black"? Look who's talking!

"Did you ask Lena Harris to be your date for the ball?" I snapped right back with the most serene tone ever. I didn't doubt that my calm voice would sound like nails on a blackboard in his ear.

Scott started moving about: I assume that's the reaction when you're pinched right at the center of your ego.

"Let's change the subject!" he exclaimed.

I kept gathering my stuff with a whole new motivation and a smirk on the face. "Because, you know the ball is dangerously getting closer. Maybe if you decided yourself to go to her and ask…well that could be a great opportunity to..."

"I AM NOT LISTENING!" Scott shouted as he started bouncing all around my bed, covering his ears, and making as much noise as humanly possible.

"Maybe she's tired of waiting for you. Who knows if someone else already asked her..."

"Lalalalala lalalala" Scott chimed in with the mature behaviour of a boy from elementary school.

I watched the play that was performed just for me, unable to decide if I should be amused or worried about my best friend's attitude. Not that I needed to wonder very long, I found myself pretty entertained by the show. He went on like this, deciding to add a new tour around the bed, then finally looked at my direction. Noting that my lips weren't moving anymore, he eventually dropped his arms down, got quiet, and let out an exhausted -yet satisfied- sigh.

"Are you finished?" I asked when silence finally reached my eardrum, but still no paying attention at him as I zipped my bag.

"Admit you didn't see that one coming," Scott said with a snicker, obviously smug by his response to my attack.

I put the bag down then looked into his eyes. "Is that pride?" I observed with the stern voice of a scientist. "Seriously, the more I watch you like this, the more I wonder, not if you're twelve, but why I'm still friends with you."

Scott smirked."Well, you know that what they say: love has its reasons...".

"Very funny," I snickered and grabbed my bag, then made my way out of the dormitories.

Before leaving the castle, I went to the Gryffindor House to say goodbye to Hermione. Just when I reached the Fat Lady I caught Harry just passing the door.

I greeted him with a smile then asked for Hermione.

"She's already in the Great Hall with Ginny. I was just going to join them right now."

I quickly glanced at the hour.

"I'm a bit late. Can you tell her I ..." Harry cut me off with a wave. I felt quite thankful since I couldn't find the best words to use, and I don't think that being honest would have been the best choice, because "can you tell her I wanted to give her a plain goodbye kiss" wasn't something her best friend would like to hear then report to her.

I turned my back and started walking away when Harry called after me with a hesitant voice.

"As for the ball…" he began, as he nervously scratched his temple. "It's at the end of the week." I furrowed my brow and smirked, quite amused by the way this discussion was starting. I hoped that what would follow would bring me information I was oblivious of, at least.

"And we must be taking a girl with us, so I was wondering if you were okay... if...if I ask Cho to be my plus one." Harry was trying his hardest to contain his mumbling: let's say, it was quite a fail.

"Oh," was all I found to answer. I stepped up and stood in front of him. He stared up at me with the look of a shy and embarrassed child.

"Harry. I really appreciate your initiative - your gesture," I corrected, "to ask for my permission first. This is really considerate of you. But honestly, I don't have the right to answer this question. As you know…" I had an amused smile when thinking of the breaking news I was about to say. "I'm with Hermione now. And I'm sure Cho wants to dance with no one else but you. Just go and ask her. I'm sure she'll say yes just by the way she's looking at you during the training lessons."

Harry's face changed from embarrassment to flattered surprise. "Does she?"

I nodded with a slight laughter. "Yeah."

The boy started musing over something. "Maybe this ball could be a way to take our relationship to a new level," he whispered.

"Why not." This was the first time Harry and I were having a casual conversation, and of complicity.

"What was this place the twins told me about: where all the boys led their partner after the Yule ball to get a kiss?" he thought to himself.

"I assume you're talking about the oak tree, some students even call it the coax tree and...hmm...please can you stop giving me all these details?" I winced a bit. "I mean my relationship with Cho is over, but I don't feel like I'd want to follow her new lovey-dovey schedule."

Harry gulped. "Sorry, I was just rambling around."

I flooed home and found the living-room empty. My parents rushed in merely a couple of seconds later.

"You're just in time for dinner," mum said, as she hugged me, closely followed by my father.

"How is Hermione?" she asked.

"She's doing great. I spent the afternoon with her for a day shop."

They both nodded with a genuine smile: I guess the rumoured resentment between a girlfriend and her "mother-in-law" doesn't have its place when the girl brought the boy back from the dead, fell into a profound coma, then went through a tough trial.

As the dinner wouldn't be served before a half-hour, I went upstairs to freshen up. Alone in my bedroom, I didn't resist an urge anymore. I grabbed a parchment and started writing a short letter to Hermione.

_First, I swear this is not a love letter. It's actually a complaint. I was kicked out from my own date -because yeah, it was a date!-, then I was forbidden to approach you from a mile away (or almost)._

_I looked for you before leaving, but I was running late. I've given a message to Harry for you, but what he didn't tell you is that I was expecting my reward kiss for my patience. _

_Please, promise to keep your mouth safe -and away from Scott!- until I come back to repair this injustice._

_My parents send you their endearing embrace. As for me, I miss you, and I'm looking forward to having you just to myself at the ball._

_Post scriptum: Random thought. I was wondering...have you ever heard of the Coax tree?_

_Your devoted/border-line stalky boyfriend_

I gave the letter to the family's owl then joined my family downstairs.

The dinner went particularly great: mum and dad were chatting about his day of work. He avoided the serious problems that were certainly dangerously shaking up the ministry (like I don't know... You-know-who) and only focused on the funny and trivial topics. We laughed, commented, and joked about everything, as if this evening was like any other before the third task. My parents had perfectly understood that the very last thing I wanted was to be put into a box, or to be seen like someone who came off a grave. Thus, they were doing their best to put me at ease, not by ignoring the fact that I was back, but by taking benefit of this miraculous return to the fullest. This dinner reminded me of those former ones, when we were gathering during school holidays: it was just me and them, and those shared moments were my best memories.

"How is the Quidditch team? And how's Scott?" my father asked.

"Umbridge is still forbidding us to reunite," I said with a smile. This was certainly inconvenient, but I couldn't consider it like the biggest drama of my life. I guess dying gives you a whole new view of the world. I was sure that all Umbridge's restrictions were temporary, and that soon I'll find a way to play Quidditch. "And Scott is great. By the way, he says hello and that he misses you."

I winked at my father who quickly chewed his meat. "You know, Rose, I think we should discuss the ban you put on Scott's visits."

"Why? The house has never been safer and calmer since then."

I held back a laughter.

"Honestly, I miss this boy. He's spent so much time in the house with Cedric. He's like a plain member of the family."

"He swears he won't come home with his wand," I added to support my best friend's case.

"As if that would stop him," she huffed immediately. I internally snickered: his reputation is solid like granite. I looked at my father who was obviously in the boat same as me and considered the amused smile plastered on his face. Mom soon joined us in the laughter.

"Well, I guess I can take time to reconsider my decision," she eventually answered.

After dinner, we cleared out the table and gathered on the couch of the living room. They both glanced at each other with a knowing look, then my mother vanished upstairs. She came back a couple of minutes holding a paper packet. She put it on the table, smiled at dad with an exciting light in the eyes then opened it.

"This is for you," she said, when I saw the black fabric. "You told us about the ball and Hermione's dress, but you didn't even refer to your suit. So we immediately thought of buying you a new one."

I touched the fabric and noticed the quality was even better than the one I had for the Yule Ball, which was already great. I unfolded the tux and concluded the model was certainly the most recent one considering all the new details.

"It's beautiful, but I could have used the one I already have."

"This ball is in your honour," dad said. "Your mother and I wanted you to have a tux which would fit the event."

"Tomorrow I will take care of your hair. It has grown pretty long since the last time," she continued.

It's true that when I came back from the dead my hair was longer than I usually have them. Mom had roughly cut it one afternoon while Hermione was still unconscious, but since then I hadn't really had a proper haircut. She was doing really well with the scissors, and she had become the family's hairstylist. Plus, I didn't doubt she would use a spell to pick the most appropriate do. With Hermione's unconscious state, then her trial, this ball was the real entertainment I would have since my return. It was also the first time that I would focus on my girlfriend and myself without worrying over something. That's why I decided to put my fear of changing because of the spell aside and focus on this joyful event. My parents were also feeling happy, and I didn't want to ruin this by making this announcement. Dumbledore was right, as long as nothing bad happened to me, I wouldn't tell them, and I wouldn't tell Hermione.

"Thank you," I said, as I locked up the box of this hypothetic new drama in our life.

After an hour, I went back to my room with my ball suit. I put it onto my desk and soon heard flapping wings.

The owl was perched behind the window glass, holding a letter into the bill.

I opened it and recognized Hermione's handwriting right away.

_My devoted/border-line stalky boyfriend,_

_If that can comfort you, I hated my forced isolation as much as you did. Funny thing: the girls are still looking after me, and acting suspicious as they're not completely convinced that you left the castle! _

_Buying the dress without your advice felt like a betrayal since we were supposed to make our choice together, and that's why I hope my surprise will please you. (And don't bother asking, I won't give you any more clues about it)._

_Give your parents a hug for me. As for my lips, they'll remain sealed and I promise I will try my hardest not to cede to Scott's charm._

_Post scriptum: Random reply. I might know about this oak tree all couples kiss below. Why? Do you have something in mind?_

_Your captive girlfriend_

I smiled all the way through the reading, and I didn't doubt I would look like an idiot to anyone passing by this room.

A half-hour later, dad knocked on my door. He poked his head in and scanned the room clearly looking for me.

"Your mum just headed to bed," he started with a malicious smile "I thought we could do one of those father-son nights. What do you think?"

I didn't wait for more. I hopped out of my bed and ushered through the stairway.

When we reached the house garden, I found out he had already prepared everything: the recliners were there, and even a bowl with many sort of sweets, like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans (they were our indulgence and also a private joke).

I didn't hide my excited smile and enthusiastically settled down on my chaise-longue. I felt like I was getting back into my childhood -since it was a tradition-, but also getting back to the summer before I started my sixth year in school. So many things had changed since this night:

1) I hadn't entered the Triwizard Tournament yet, -I didn't even know it was to happen-,

2) Voldemort was just an old threat which belonged to the past.

3) I felt immortal like any other teenage boy who considers that death is a grown-up concern.

4) Coming back from dead was a myth and something I didn't even bother thinking about.

5) I was dating Cho Chang.

6) Marriage was the second grown-up concern (maybe even the first before death).

I quickly realized that all these changes had influenced the last two years of my life. Some were factors, causes, while others were a consequence. I also realized that I wouldn't want to stop any of those things to happen if I had the opportunity to. Even if it was in the hardest way possible, they were all leading me to Hermione and changing the fifth point. If Voldemort hadn't returned, if I had decided not to enter the Tournament, I wouldn't have died; Hermione would have never found me. She would have never saved me, and I would have never enjoyed the feeling of falling for her. I still had to work on the sixth point: in this perfect mathematical equation, it was the ultimate point. It was the result.

"You still remember the names of some stars, don't you?" my father asked as he too, laid down and watched the sky.

"We've been doing this game for years. Of course, I remember."

"Well good, because I have a bunch of new ones to make you discover. I have…" he paused rubbing his jaw. "I've been doing a lot of research these past months. I didn't want this little game of ours to end."

My father's voice was trembling, obviously faded by a former chagrin that would never vanish completely. Like a tenacious stain on a white fabric. I know my father's fabric used to be whiter: he's a joyful and generous man, and I was certain that my disparity -and how it had happened- had left an indelible stain.

I stretched out my arm and rested my hand on his shoulder. "I can't wait for you to share this all with me."

He patted my hand while avoiding my gaze. "Okay, let's start!" he spoke, clearing up his throat.

Two hours later, my father and I were still chatting, exchanging information, and questions about the star system, while the bowl had been emptied almost by the half.

"And this one star," dad continued, chewing a candy, "is called Rose."

I furrowed my brows. "I didn't know about this one."

"Actually, no one does. But this star belongs to her."

I sat up trying to get a clearer view. "Which one exactly?"

"It's complicated. I can see it, but I can't assure you I could recognize it in other circumstances."

The sentence wasn't really clear, and I wondered if he had eaten too much of those jellies.

"I don't get it," I stated, my tone of voice implying a better explanation.

He contented himself to look at me with a content smile. "Just forget it," he spoke with a sort of amused condescending voice, as if proud to know something most people were oblivious about.

"Does it concern another Star spell?" I asked, very curious. I already considered the first one I've been taught really interesting and powerful, so I was quite envious to learn a new one.

"Did you already cast The Starcatcher Spell?"

I internally babbled, muttering a yes and letting my father know that I was very much in love with a girl, and that it was really serious. Besides, I couldn't hide the truth from him forever either. He was my father, a man who wouldn't dwell over this like my mother would. He would just hear the news, nod, and skip subject…because love was the sensitive subject – the one men didn't want to discuss together, because it was embarrassing for both. For women, it was the contrary: it was like an open subject, a random discussion you could have at any moment of the day that would fill girls who were part of the conversation with passion for hours.

"Kind of," I winced. "Hermione casted it for me…and I offered it to her," I added after a pause.

My father tensed a bit, not because he was skeptical or displeased, but more as if he felt the embarrassing/sensitive subject coming. "I'm glad you chose to do it for her. She deserved this present and this symbolic gesture from you."

"Yeah. I had no doubt about it. I mean, I knew she was meant to receive it from me."

Silence settled down, as we were both waiting for this awkward moment to buzz off. He was quiet then suddenly moved, as if finding a way to ease the conversation.

"Then, now you can understand my previous point. The Starcatcher Spell locks a star in a crystal ball, but not all of the star, only a fraction of it. The other part is still in the sky, but they both remain linked, unbreakable."

I nodded, now very curious and intrigued.

"The owner of the crystal ball is like under the radiance of the matrix star. Right now, whereas I'm talking with you, I know your mother is home. I can see this very bright light going down from the sky onto the house."

I was amazed, almost gaping at this unexpected piece of news. I had never thought the Starcatcher Spell would have any other use than a beautiful crystal ball holding a sparkling light in its center.

"So now, you should be seeing the same light going down from the sky towards Hogwarts' direction. There…" he pointed to the east with his forefinger.

I turned my head and followed the direction.

"I can't see anything," I said, unable to hide my disappointment.

Dad huffed. "That's impossible. That's the way it works," he stopped on his roll. "She casted it with her wand you say?"

I nodded.

"Then that's why. She keeping the ball and being in the possession of the wand which casted it, cancels the use of the spell."

"So I made a mistake with the Starcatcher?" The idea of losing this magical property of the spell was pretty annoying. I wanted that spell to be as perfect as it had been with my father. The promise I had made to myself concerning to the use of it felt like failure.

"It's not a problem," my father stated with a nonchalant wave. "You just need to put a spell on the ball, with your own wand, which will claim that you're actually the father of the previous hex. I'll teach you how to do it. It's easy."

"Which claims that I'm the father of the hex?" I repeated.

"Yes. With the spell I'll teach you, you create the bond between a spell and the wizard or witch who casted it. No matter whose wand was used, you claim that you're the only one who was at the start of it. The spell will be then linked to you, and you'll be able to see the radiance of Hermione's matrix star."

I had a satisfied smile, pleased that the situation would be fixed and soon be back to normal. Nonetheless, a new statement came to my view.

"But after that, wouldn't it feel like I'm spying on Hermione?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

My father laughed. "Of course, not. It's more like a plus. You don't have to rely upon it if you don't want to."

But I would still see it, I thought. No matter if I make any use of it, I will still be able to know where Hermione is. Ignoring a bright radiance coming straight from the sky is no easy task.

"I'm not sure she'll think the same way as you, though" I frowned.

When I flooed back in Hogwarts the day after, I immediately sensed something was wrong. McGonagall's grave look when she welcomed me was the anticipation of the announcement she was about to make. I panicked as I imagined something had happened to Hermione but her face wasn't showing any sign of a critical situation: she looked upset and annoyed but not sad. She then told me that Dumbledore had left the castle because the ministry was after him. She tried to reassure me as if she knew how attached I was to the headmaster. She was sure this piece of news would reach me, and that's why she was so considerate.

She also assured me that the ball would still happen as it was Dumbledore's personal wish. "This will also be a way to comfort and ease the students," she added.

I left her office half-hour later, quite shaken-up. The school, Harry, Hermione, and I were losing our best ally against the ministry and Voldemort, but we were also losing a support. No matter what, Dumbledore would always find the good words that would comfort or motivate everyone. All the students would trust him and feel safe with him around.

Of course, Umbridge was now officially free to run the school under her whims. Even though she was the High Inquisitor, Dumbledore always remained behind, like a watch that was a bridle to her plain use of power.

When I reached the Hufflepuff corridor, I saw a thin and bowed silhouette on the bench, waiting for me. Hermione jumped a bit when she heard my foot steps and quickly raised her head, discreetly wiping a tear away with the back of her hand. She relaxed when she saw it was me. By the look on her face, I assumed that she was as upset as me, knowing that Dumbledore's departure would be a disability.

She rised from the bench and took refuge in my arms. I wanted to wipe her fears away, blow her pain away, but I know I couldn't. We both always felt safe because Dumbledore was there to take care of us: he had helped Hermione get through her trial, he had made sure that my family accepted me, he had kept us safe in the castle but also comfortable. He never treated us as if we were different: when he heard about the Resurrection potion, he always included us in the school, never differentiating us from the rest of the students. He always considered us a part of Hogwarts. I held her tight and hushed her, gently brushing her hair. "He'll come back, soon."


	14. The Ball

**Author's note: It's been a while, sorry! I came back from my trip and found that I had got one review for the last update. It's okay, it happens. Anyway, here is your chance to do better this time (like I don't know...2 reviews ^^). **

**I'm quite busy with school now, so I can't promise I will update soon, but I'll do my best. Bear with me, please.**

**Thanks to my fantastic beta. You're the best! **

**This is the ball in Hogwarts. Join in! ;)**

**To those who want to have a peek at Hermione's dress, here's the link: **

**http : / www . maysange . com / img / produits / L0014 . jpg**

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The end of the week came pretty quickly, and the news of Dumbledore leaving the school seemed to have depleted the excitement that emanated from the ball event approaching. A few hours before the beginning, the fuzz was present, and there were still girls going back and forth in the corridors undecided between preparing for tonight, or meeting up with their dance partner first to clarify details.

Hermione and I were just coming back into the castle from a long stroll in the park. I am glad to say my girlfriend was feeling better since that day she waited for me in the Hufflepuff corridor. Sure, she was affected by the headmaster being gone, but yet, this last-minute event had woken her to a whole new motivation: ready to fight the ministry, Voldemort, and the deatheaters all at once. I was amazed; she reminded me of Dumbledore's phoenix. She could be hit down, and yet she would stand back up with even more impulse than she had before her fall. She probably doesn't know it, but she was also giving me the hope and the motivation to keep up too. She was smiling and maybe even excited to get to the ball on time - even though she would never admit it to me or anyone.

"So your parents bought you a new suit," she said nonchalantly, pretending not to be interested but merely casual.

I nodded with an amused smirk, playing along with her by answering with no real interest either. "Well, I'm sure it will perfectly suit you. Other students are looking forward to seeing you dressed up, tonight."

I had much difficulty at holding back a laughter this time. Her innocent eyes, her steady voice and her casual tone were screaming at me that these "other students" were actually her. I wanted to speak, tease, and tell how adorable I think she looked at that moment, but I pretended to be completely oblivious. Who would like to break Hermione's myth as being solely the cerebral and conscientious witch of Hogwarts? Well me, but I already did it as a non-complete ghost and was pretty much content to be the only person who could brag about it.

"You know," I spoke, as the dance and suit conversation made me remember of another point.

"My father and I were talking about the Starcatcher Spell, and I discovered a new thing about it." Hermione blinked then stared at me with big eyes, not faking her obvious interest for the coming discussion.

"Go on," she almost pleaded. By the end of my explanation, making sure to repeat correctly all of my father's points, she remained silent for a few seconds, musing over something.

"That would like be spying on me," she eventually voiced her thought aloud.

I chuckled at this. "That's exactly what I told my father."

Hermione kept serious, quickly glancing down at her trousers pocket (where the crystal ball certainly was), stunned by the properties of the object but most of all surprised by the consequences this little thing could have on her privacy.

"That's why I don't have to cast this father-spell on the ball. It's yours, and I don't want to feel like I'm encroaching upon your liberty." Hermione nodded, a bit uneasy, as she brushed back a lock of hair. "This has nothing to do with you," she spoke with a calm voice. "I trust you. I know that you wouldn't overuse the Starcatcher Spell's magic property, but I just don't want to wonder somewhere, in the back of my mind, if you're checking or not where I am." "Of course," I said earnestly. "I wouldn't want that either."

Her mouth slowly rose up into a smile. She looked at me longingly, as if she was thinking about something. She then quickly glanced behind her and almost bounced at me, putting on a possessive grip around my neck. She got on her tiptoes to match my height as best as she could, as I held her waist.

"You know I..." she exclaimed with a big smile but then quieted immediately. "What?" I asked, smiling, as I tried to encourage her to continue. She briefly looked me in the eye, hesitant. "Never mind," she whispered. Her face was only an inch apart from mine and her thumb stroked my cheek bone back and forth. I furrowed my brow, confused and ready to ask for an explanation, but she immediately preempted me, reducing me to silence by catching my lips in a soft kiss.

We were disturbed by the ringing of the clock. Hermione broke the kiss, pulling away, as I let out a groan of discontentment, unwilling to open my eyes. "Time to get prepared for tonight," she said.

"I have to meet up with Scott, and he's in a terrible mood," I complained.

"Why?"

"Lena Harris. He didn't ask her for the ball, and now she's going with someone else."

I rolled my eyes, thinking about the situation. If he had listened to me, he wouldn't be going to this dance by himself. Hermione smiled. "I'm sure it's not that bad. He'll have fun, tonight."

"You don't know him. He becomes very cranky when it comes to girls."

I let out a sigh and smiled, trying hard to believe that my girlfriend was right when I actually knew my best friend too well.

"Cedric Diggory! You're two minutes late!" we heard 'someone' yell. Scott rushed along the corridor to get to us. "Must I remind you that we both have a deal? You stay with me until the beginning of the ball, and then you can leave me all by myself to have fun with your chick."

"Chick?" Hermione repeated, confused. Scott immediately reacted like he had been burnt. He raised a finger so close to Hermione's face, which made her cross her eyes and turned to me, completely ignoring her.

"Tonight, I don't want to talk with any girl. Not even to the girl I shared a steamy kiss with." Hermione and I both rolled our eyes at his last predication. "I've been thinking about it, and I realized that girls have ruined my life."

First carefully listening to his explanations, my girlfriend let out an uncontrollable laughter. "That is ridiculous!"

"No, this is true!" Scott protested. "Girls have made my life miserable. And then, there was McCoy with his allusion, and tonight, I don't want to see any couples. It's just too much to bear. Couples are idiots; they're all honey-sugar and retarded." Hermione listened with a fascination accompanied by a big grin plastered on her face.

"Okay," I finally spoke. "Enough of the drama-queen act tonight. Let's go." Scott got quiet - satisfied of his small victory - and started stepping away. I turned to Hermione and leaned in to give her a peck. "What kind of supporting friend are you?" Scott yelped, reacting just the way I had predicted he would (I must admit I did this mostly to bug him). "I tell you I hate life and couples, and you tongue kiss your girl in front of me? Why don't you just call Aaron, so you can both push me into the nearest cliffhanger to end my life quicker?" I gave Hermione a last smile then headed up the stairs.

"As a friend, can you do me the favour? Break up with Hermione just for this night, so we can go to the ball as two cool single guys."

"You're just...unbelievable," I sighed.

Downstairs, we heard Hermione giggle.

Getting off the shower, I went back to the dormitories, and found some boys who were already dressed.

"I hear you were taking Joanna," Jimmy Bronnan exclaimed to Alexander Pierce, as he was knotting his tie. "What did you put into her pumpkin juice to get her to say yes?"

"Oh, just shut up!" he snapped back.

All the boys have been teasing Alexander when they heard about Joanna. She was a nice and pretty girl, and he was known for being the shyest student of the House. His going to the ball with the girl he's had a crush on for years totally appears like a miracle.

"You can still change your mind, Alex," I said playfully, going around my bed. All the boys hollered as they ruffled his hair, one after the other.

"I hope Scumbridge won't keep us from having fun tonight," Tyler Bagster stated, when the room got quiet.

"Damn," Paul spoke up. "I was hoping she would get swollen - then spat out - by a troll. Do you think she's going to be there tonight?".

Scott walked in, coming from the showers too, and made his away across the room, silent. His quietness had the gift to make him glitter to the rest of the boys, who had now eyes only on him. "Maybe Logan could be her plus-one and keep her entertained. We won't have to draw straws after all," Jimmy proposed.

All the boys hollered again, laughing out loud. I didn't keep myself from smiling at the joke as well. Scott remained calm and even sneered. "Good one, Jimmy Brow-man. Your joke almost made me forget about that day your trousers incidentally got down to your ankles in the middle of the Great Hall." Jimmy frowned and quieted immediately. He reached out a hand, stretching up to cover his prominent eyebrows but finally deflecting to the temple. "This never happened." Scott shot him a knowing glare, still keeping his smirk in place. "Really?" he said with a calm voice, predicting the worst for a near future.

After a while, the boys went out of the dormitories, leaving Scott and I alone. I stood, facing the mirror to put on my ecru bow tie. My eyes went sideways, as I caught a glimpse of my best friend's reflect.

"Try to look at the bright side of the situation," I began. "You don't have to stick to one partner. You can dance with as many girls as you want."

"Yeah. I'm sure they're already standing in a 'Dance with Logan' queue," he scoffed.

"Don't be sarcastic. It's the truth. You are very popular in the school: you were the Quidditch team captain and several girls from all the Houses wish they could be with you. And now going to this ball alone will show how self-confident you are; why bother with a dancing partner when you're actually the ladies' man?"

Scott, who was pouting, put down his waistcoat on the bed and turned to the mirror to face me. "You know what? You are right!" he exclaimed, seeing the light of the situation. "I've never been the type of guy interested to get into any form of commitment. I'm just enjoying." I nodded, satisfied of Scott's changing mood. "I think I merely got confused by your relationship with Hermione, and I lost my marks, becoming envious of a scheme which doesn't suit me. That's why McCoy's stupid remark annoyed me, but it shouldn't have because my not having a girlfriend is how it's supposed to be."

He walked up to me and let out a laughter filled with relief, as he squeezed my shoulder. "You are the wise and committed boyfriend, and I'm the free and alluring cool guy. False alarm; everything is back to normal." I quit smiling and winced upon hearing his words. "Wait…was that a compliment for me?"

He contented to answer my question with a new round of laughter."Okay, I'm not going to lie. You being a serious boyfriend, first with Cho, but now even more with Hermione, was the best thing that could happen to our friendship. It helps me to catch all the girls. If you were as emancipated as me, I'm not sure things between us would have been the same."

I furrowed my brows hard. "Emancipated? Are you saying that I'm uptight or something?" Scott looked at me straight in the eye.

"Okay, let's switch to the cheering making up session," he said aside, yet loudly, not even trying to keep me from hearing it. "You're the Golden boy, Cedric. You break every girl's heart whenever you get into a relationship. You're smart, good-looking, funny, faithful, and you were cool enough to come back from the dead. You are...the right guy."

My envy to protest faded when I identified genuineness into his voice when getting to the last words. It wasn't a joke anymore, but a sincere statement coming from my best friend, who always had the gift to switch from teasing to earnestness, then back to teasing in less than one minute.

"Maybe it won't last," my mouth blurted out, my fears winning the upper hand upon my placidity. He looked at me, confused, furrowing his brows. I couldn't turn back now, and I admit that a part of me didn't want to leave it like this. I wanted to talk with someone who's not a professor, even more now that Dumbledore was gone. My best friend was the perfect ear.

"Before Dumbledore left the school," I started with a sigh, avoiding any eye contact as I sat down on my bed, "he told me the spell used to bring me back would certainly have consequences on me." Several seconds of heavy quietness, I wish I could erase, followed.

"Wh-what? What does that mean?" Scott babbled."The effect of the spell could end?"

"No, of course not," I looked up at him, as he let out a sigh of relief and relaxed his tensed features. "Dumbledore thinks the spell might change me, even though he doesn't know how."

"Change…like physically?" he questioned. I shrugged as I realized that both Scott and I immediately considered the physical transformation as a consequence.

My best friend scratched the top of his head, as if pushing on the intellect button. "Wait, wait," he spoke more to himself than me. "Dumbledore said 'might'. None of the possibilities could ever happen, right?"

I sighed in frustration: why does everyone who knows about this rely on the "might" detail? If the theory was that big and reliable, then Dumbledore would have never told me about the risks of the resurrection potion. He wouldn't have wanted to worry me for nothing. The fact that he felt the need to tell me about it all proves how slight the chances for me to not change are. The headmaster sharing with me his concern was announcing the inevitability of a coming event.

"Yes but..."

"Then, there's nothing else to add," Scott cut me off. "You died and you're here tonight. As long as the effect of the spell isn't temporary, then there's nothing to worry about."

"But what if...," I paused looking for the proper words, "I change?"

My friend immediately understood the real meaning of these simple words and sat next to me. "You won't. You're fundamentally a good person. It's too profound for any kind of magic to reach." I slowly nodded, and for the first time felt really relieved. Scott remained silent a few seconds, waiting for me to consider his words as they were digging their way through my mind. " And this is the wizard world," he added with an enthusiastic tone he had dropped a couple of minutes before. "If hairs start growing all over your face, we'll find a spell to stop this...or we'll use a razor if we don't." I scoffed, then we both shared a smile.

Scott glanced at the clock in the wall and stood up. "You better not be late. I know a great girl who would be disappointed not to find you waiting up for her." I promptly got up, boosted by the sole hearing of her name, impetuous at the idea to see her.

"About Hermione," I hesitantly started, as I cleared my throat. "I look to you to..."

"I won't tell her," he cut me off, putting me at rest.

I gave him a grateful look. At this second, I felt lucky: I had the best best friend in the world.

I was officially ready and went face to the mirror to get a look of myself. I was dressed in my brand new, trendy, black dance suit. I would lie if I said I didn't feel confident in it. The cut perfectly fitted with my build, adjusted to my shoulders, and slightly narrowed at my waist line; the material is so smooth that I can't keep my hands off it, almost pawing it (something I hoped Hermione would be tempted to do all through the evening). My hair was shorter now (mum did a wonderful job like she had promised), barely going over the neck, though some front locks were still long enough to frame my forehead. That's why for tonight, I had combed it all back.

I turned to Scott who was done as well, tidying his sleeves. His tux was completely different from mine, as my friend had opted for a midnight blue tuxedo (with a waistcoat) worn upon a black shirt. His hair was combed, but wasn't much different from his casual everyday style.

We left the Hufflepuff rooms and headed for the Great Hall. As we reached this part of the castle, I felt like I was travelling back in time for the Yule Ball with a few exceptions: the snowy decorations were replaced by neutral ornaments, the girls' dresses, the boy's suits, and all the people's festive mood made me plunge into familiar waters I thought would belong to the past for good. Students passing by us would greet me or smile, forgetting not who this ball was for.

Ginny, along with Lavender and Parvati, came right to us. Hermione's best friend smiled at Scott, then her eyes lingered on me, scanning me from top to bottom, with a satisfied grin. As for the two others, they were openly checking me out. Their intrusive looks peered through the fabric of my suit, trying to get a look of...I don't even want to guess.

"Hi, Cedric!" they both hummed. "Are you saving a couple of dances for us?". They started to flutter their eyelashes, using probably their most dangerously effective weapon against me. This had the knack to make me genuinely smile.

"That's something I got to ask to my dance partner. She's the one keeping my dance schedule. It's all up to her." My rebuff dampened Parvati, as she let out a sigh. On the contrary, it had a complete opposite and unexpected reaction on Lavender. "Hot," she purred, now eyeing me viciously. Scott and I glanced at each other, refraining from laughing, as Parvati dragged the girl away.

Ginny had an amused smile, as she watched her friends then looked back at me. "You and Hermione will be a perfect match," she stated with restrained excitement for what I could tell of her clenched fists whilst speaking.

"She said she had a surprise for me," I began, but when I noticed a smirk slowly rising on my interlocutor's face, I became skeptical. "But I assume you're not going to sell your best friend, are you?"

"I love when boys have got the answer to their own questions already. It makes everything easier."

"At least I tried," I laughed, as I resigned myself to wait. It's not like I had to wait long.

Ginny turned to Scott who was smiling at her with that familiar look of his, the seductive one. "Logan, you're very neat tonight. I like your suit," she spoke, folding her arms over her chest, eyeing him with an unfamiliar look. "And you haven't seen me dance yet. What if I showed you a second thing you could like about me tonight?" he proposed matter-of-factly, not even blinking. "Why not? I'm saving you a dance," she replied tit for tat.

They both grinned. She then walked past me and gently patted my arm. "She looks magnificent," Ginny whispered to me before leaving. I hardly nodded, too focused on the previous scene that took place in front of me.

"What was that?" I asked when Ginny was far enough.

Scott shrugged. "What? I'm just filling in my schedule." I quit gaping and picked up my jaw.

At that moment, we caught a glimpse of Cho Chang, heading for the main doors. Her apparition flooded me with the memory of waiting for her in this exact same posture to go to the Yule ball, but without the feeling of thrill and excitement going up my spine and the quickening of my heartbeat. She stopped on her tracks and walked up to me with a shy smile on her face. Cho was wearing an ordinary-type red dress reaching just below her knees. It suited her nicely. Her hair was down, but wavy, breaking her usual wise-girl appearance.

"You look...nice," she said with a low voice.

"You too," I smiled. I then furrowed my brows, surprised to find her hanging around by herself. "You're alone?" I asked. "Oh no, I'm with Harry. We agreed to meet up in the Great Hall." I nodded even though I mentally frowned at Harry's lack of gallantry. Not that I cared much, I linked it to the boy's shyness when it came to girls. Comparing Harry to Scott's self-confidence with girls would never happen. Cho greeted my friend and then walked away, as he kept a steady look on her.

"You know what I was thinking?" he asked with a thoughtful voice, when she eventually disappeared from his field of vision.

"That you want to dance with her too?"

"Do you remember that nickname I had for her, but that you forbid me to use again?"

"Well, at least not in front of you," he added after a pause. I sighed. "I do remember. Why?"

"Well, since you're not together anymore, now I'm free to use it," he waited a few seconds, making up some suspense. "Slanting eyes!". He turned and looked at me with a smug grin on his face. It was as if he's had a burden on his shoulders that he finally had the opportunity to get rid of.

"What's the point?" I huffed.

"I'm your best friend. That's part of my job to badmouth the ex-girlfriend."

"Yeah...I guess, but mostly when it's the girl who broke up with you. Here, it's different. Technically, I'm the one who broke up with her, in the harshest way possible. I died."

"By the way, we should talk about this. Dying just to split up with a girl isn't the solution!"

"Oh snap!" I snickered right at his face for his idiotic and wicked joke.

"And so?" he said after a pause. "Can I call her slanty eyes?" I crossed my arms and stared at my friend. "You know that's racist, right?"

"It's not! I'm just doing...an observation," he defended "It's affectionate." I started riposting, nodding at his every word, the way to let him know I wasn't giving credit to any of his explanations.

Ginny popped her head out and waved Scott to come over. He obeyed and ran off before my brain had time to elaborate a sentence.

I then heard someone clear their throat from up the stairs. I did an about-turn and looked up. That's when I saw her. That's when I felt the thrill go up my spine and speeded up my heartbeat.

Hermione was standing, looking stunning in a gorgeous blue dress (the surprise for me). I couldn't imagine anyone else wearing it; it was made for her. The soft fabric was falling over her shape, without revealing much of her curves - a detail I couldn't help finding sexy since the thought of getting a look of what's underneath was now plastered in my mind. The Greek dress fitted her personality brilliantly: simple, elegant, yet unwittingly alluring. Her hair was entirely straight and down but tied up on her left shoulder with a couple of loose single locks framing the side of her face. Dressed like this, she was utterly portraying the mythological character who had given her her first name. Hermione was nibbling her bottom lip. Obviously nervous. Obviously waiting for my opinion. The contrast between her glamorous appearance and her insecure aspect was making her look even more dazzling. I warmly smiled at her. She let out a discreet sigh of relief then walked down the stairs towards me. I stretched out my hand and her delicate fingers gently grasped it.

She halted and stayed still a couple of seconds and eventually looked me up in the eye, anxious. I studied her one last time as I mulled over the first words I would say to her. "You're..."I started but went uncertain when I realized that 'stunning', 'astounding', 'marvelous' or 'exquisite' would imply she doesn't look that remarkable to me, usually; which is untrue. "You're beautiful," I breathed out with a broad grin. "As always."

Hermione seemed surprised first, but then smiled back, enjoying the compliment. Her eyes scanned me up and down. She remained quiet a few seconds, as her brain seemed to be assimilating information. I brought her hand up to my face, and my lips softly brushed her knuckles. She curiously eyed me with an amused smile.

"And no kiss?" she pointed out, almost complaining.

"I've decided I would stick to being the wise guy throughout the ball."

"But then...why did you mention the coax tree in your letter?" I smirked at the hint of genuine disappointment in her voice.

"Oh, this is planned for the second part of the night. The naughty's coming afterwards." She chuckled, flushing a bit, not totally embarrassed because of my innuendo, but mostly because she liked it.

I noticed the accelerated pounding of her heart reverberating over her chest. "Are you nervous?" I asked.

"No, no," she exhaled, almost close to panting. "Don't mind me. It's just positive excitement. To be honest, I was looking forward to attending the ball with you." I smiled at her confession, which wasn't really one since I had suspected it already. "Really?" I questioned ironically. Hermione contented herself to riposte by rolling her eyes.

"I like your looks tonight," she asserted after a pause. "Do you?" "Groomed and elegant. Though, there's just a detail I really miss for tonight." I had an amused smile. "Then, go on and fix it." She nibbled her thumb then hesitantly raised her hand. She then brushed some of my locks forward with her fingers, and ruffled the front of my hair. As she dropped her hand down, she gauged her work with a concentrated pouting face and finally smiled. "There, it's just as I like you!"

"I couldn't ask for better then." I laughed, as I squeezed her hand and led her to the Great Hall.

When we passed the doors, the students were chatting and enjoying themselves. They were soon all turned to us, first merely mirroring others, and all went quiet as they watched me and Hermione walk up the main aisle. Girls were whispering about how they loved Hermione's dress and hairstyle, as other schoolmates were more focused on us being the guests of this ball. Hermione was nervous, breathing in and out, and I ran my thumbs up and down on her palm to reassure her.

"Logical that you're not nervous. You did this and even danced in front of these people just a year ago," she whispered to me, giving herself an excuse. "So did you," I reminded her.

We finally reached the other part of the Hall and went straight to Scott, who welcomed us with a clear, amused smile. "Now that your parade is officially finished, students will quit ogling you...At least, they will do it when you're oblivious."

Scott's eyes switched from me to my girlfriend. "Look at you, you're gorgeous!" he exclaimed. He walked around and stood behind her as he held each of her arms. "Did Cedric tell you that you look exquisite?" Hermione glanced at me then looked up at Scott "That's not the word he used, no."

My best friend let out an over-feigned squeal of indignation. "Shame on you!" he shot me down. "What kind of boyfriend can make such a mistake?" Hermione fixed her gaze on me, playing along with him. "Yes. What kind of boyfriend?" she repeated. Her teasing had an absolute opposite effect on me than Scott's funny one: she was like temptation wrapped up in this voluptuous blue dress and her piercing eyes were drawing me into her clutches.

All the teachers - and Umbridge - came in the Hall, dressed up in their ceremonial gowns: special mention to Hagrid's bushy fur coat and Umbridge's completely unforeseen pink dress. "It's pale rose!" she would certainly yelp at anyone who would dare doing this observation.

The teachers scattered everywhere in the room as professor McGonagall walked up on the back-up platform, taking care of standing away from the center, the spot Dumbledore always used for whenever he has to make an announcement. She then asked the students to get quiet and smiled.

"We are here, tonight, to celebrate...a return. Just when someone comes back from a long journey, their friends are here to welcome them and express their joy. And we are welcoming someone and expressing our joy to a boy who came through the roughest journey. His loss had been sudden,...painful and unfair. I'm not going to turn over on this memory because he wouldn't want it, neither of us would, and that was certainly not what Albus Dumbledore would have wanted for this night. That's why he organized this ball, to dwell on this happy and unexpected return because...happy moments like this are rare in the long and hazardous journey that life is. That's also why I've decided to keep on this ball, when I heard Dumbledore had left the castle. He would want us to gladden rather than deplore. And we are all more than happy to welcome back Cedric Diggory," McGonagall turned and stared right at me, "because you are one of those rare joyful moments. Because you're bringing back with you happiness and also hope for the future."

No one from Dumbledore's army and the Order of the Phoenix could ignore McGonagall's allusion to Voldemort and the dark days to come. I assume she was considering me to be a ray of hope for any wizard desperate for the Darklord to fail, not to find true peace. I was also the living proof that Voldemort could fail as well. That our destinies aren't sealed forevermore. I smiled back at her and gave her a thankful nod.

"Also," she continued, "I thought tonight was the good moment to give you something which fully belongs to you. Something you should have had a long time ago. Now."

She waved to Sprout who walked up on the platform, holding an object in her arms. She put it down on a table, and took away the fabric covering it. Everyone in the room held out a squeal when they recognized the bright Tri-wizard cup. My heart missed a beat, as well, not prepared to get a sight of it tonight. I made my way to the platform and halted to face the cup. It was exactly similar to the memory I had of it. The glass was surprisingly intact since I expected it would have shattered after dropping on the ground many times that night…unless one of the professors had casted a mending spell on it afterwards. I gave a soft smile to McGonagall even though I was having much difficulty to take my eyes off the cup. My fingers carefully reached for one of the side handles, as I caught myself apprehending to get portkeyed away. Outside my wand, which was any wizard' third arm, this cup was the last thing I had a grasp on before dying.

"Hmm, thank you," I eventually spoke up. I patted the cup a couple of times, finding some odd satisfaction at not disappearing off the Great Hall.

At the second, my mind switched off this move, my fingers hastily diverted away from the object, as if I had been burnt.

"Thank you all for gathering tonight. It's good to find support aside from my family and friends." I paused a second, looking for the right words. How clever of me! A ball was organized for me, I suspected I would be asked to speak, and yet I hadn't prepared anything. "I don't have much to say, but I'm just going to share with you what Dumbledore told me. He said that life is a celebration. Sometimes, we tend to forget this: we may feel invincible, or we're too busy complaining about trivial details. But since my return, I've gauged the value of life. And it's just…irreplaceable. Live it to the fullest."

I caught a glimpse of Harry on the right side, standing next to Cho. He was observing me with the sadness of someone experienced in the subject: he had lost his parents at a young age, and he had seen me die. I glanced sideways and found that Hermione was staring at me with an ambiguous smile, torn between pride and indecision.

"As for the Triwizard cup," I went on, "I never thought I would see it again. I remember how hard I fought to try to earn it. Yet,...I don't think I should be the one to take it. I know someone who fought harder." I addressed directly at Harry, now. "That night, in the maze, I told you the cup was yours. Nothing has changed since then."

The Grynffindor boy was blinking, and I started clapping, filling in the heavy silence, but also congratulating this young boy for his courage throughout the tasks and eventually to face Who-must-not-be-named. Hermione and the other Gryffindors clapped along, followed by Scott and the Hufflepuffs, then the rest of the students and the professors. Harry, embarrassed, clumsily walked up to the platform and touched the cup. He then turned to me, and as I was warmly smiling down at him, I recognized this same expression he had the first day he saw me in the infirmary before he had rushed into my arms. "Thank you," he whispered to me then turned face to the audience, which was now paying homage to their schoolmate's bravery.

I walked back to Hermione who was smiling at me. She held my forearm and opened her mouth, ready to speak when we heard someone clearing their throat. We both looked up high before finally making eye contact with Hagrid.

"We're all proud of you tonight, Cedric," he said as he patted the back of my shoulder, almost making me lose my balance. Hermione suppressed an amused chuckle.

"And you," he continued, turning to Hermione, "you're so grown-up, and you look so radiant." She grinned even more.

I glanced all around us, making sure we had some privacy then spoke in a low voice. "I didn't have the opportunity to say this before but...thank you for the great help you have been for Hermione and me. With the...unicorn powder," I clarified with a suggestive nod, when I noticed he seemed totally clueless. Hagrid tensed up in less than a second, his sudden odd behaviour attracting attention like a magnet. He started waving his arms to feign nonchalance. "Oh this!" he said out loud, smiling at the few students and professors who were eyeing him suspiciously. He eventually leaned over. "I'm glad I was part of it."

"We couldn't have done it without your help," Hermione chimed in, as I gave a probative nod. She friendly squeezed his arm as he smiled at us, feeling a bit emu. I had always known Hagrid's reputation as being sensitive, but seeing it happening got me quite amazed: it was so surprising to see this lout-looking mass having a soft heart. He was genuine and innocent than his build was imposing. Like a rock with scum within. He stood back up and discreetly sniffed (well as discreetly possible for a semi-giant).

"Well. Enjoy the night, kids," he said then walked off.


	15. Unfamiliar feelings The Ball: 2nd part

**Author's note****: A whole new chapter. Hope you'll enjoy and please let me a review. I would love to read your feeback.**

* * *

We had dinner on one of the many round tables. We stood by our chairs: Hermione, Scott, Harry, Cho, Aaron, and his plus one glancing at each other. Just at that moment, Ronald passed by with his dance partner, Lavender, and eyed us all, quickly checking if there was any free spot left for him. There was none. He raised his chin higher, exposing to us his ego, then stared at Harry, who nervously scratched his temple, and shrugged it off before storming away. I turned to Hermione, a bit worried she would be upset, but I found her smiling at me instead, not bothered at all. Her 'anti-Ronald Weasley' campaign was obviously doing well and working its way up.

"Don't feel forced to eat with us," she spoke, turning to Harry. "He's not mad at you. You can still make it up."

The young Gryffindor quickly glanced at the "contiguous" table Ronald had randomly chosen at the other end of the room then shrugged. "No. He'll survive. This night is for my other friends. I want to be with them."

Don't ask me how it feels to share your dinner with your girlfriend and your ex; I would lie if I said I felt totally fine, though everything went well. Cho only had eyes for Harry and mine were on Hermione, so I guess it drastically reduced our chances to make eye-contact. Hermione obviously calculated the same odds as mine, since she didn't show any sign of nervousness.

We sat down and the food immediately appeared in our plates. Appetizing both to the eyes and to the taste buds, the full table soon started to empty.

"It's so delicious. I wonder who prepares that."

Hermione swallowed her piece of meat and cleared her throat. "According to the book, Hogwarts: A History, the food is prepared in gigantic kitchens of the castle by house elves. It was actually an idea of Helga Hufflepuff's; she brought them to work in the kitchens as a way of ensuring they could work without being abused. Some say the kitchens are located right under the Great Hall."

All the guests turned to her, torn between the surprise of her knowledge and the confidence that her reputation was true. Harry merely nodded, probably used to it. As for me, I had an amused smile, mixed with pride and contentment.

Aaron, who was intently observing her, let out a discreet chuckle, as he looked to my direction. "Well, it looks like my supposed 'Head Boy's wide knowledge', which I totally claim to possess by the way," he said with a smirk, "isn't required here."

We all laughed around the table as I noticed that Hermione, who was smiling as well, blushed a bit.

"But you are right," Aaron continued. "The kitchens are located directly under this Hall. The access is secret and, of course, restrained."

We heard Scott's contained laughter echo into his throat. "Not that restrained," he said in a low voice, as he leaned in toward Hermione. "I went there a couple of times, when I was feeling peckish in the middle of the night."

All the people around the table stared and gaped at him, as I sent my friend a meaningful and insistent look.

"You know, Logan," Aaron eventually spoke up, voicing his thoughts aloud. "I don't even know what I should blame you for: going in and out the private kitchens as you wish it, dawdling in the castle at night, or you actually boasting about it in front of me."

A chuckle escaped from Hermione's sealed lips.

"Come on, Aaron. Don't tell me you never went there for a snack?" Scott rested his elbows on the table, as he leaned toward his friend's – but sometimes enemy – direction, as he pointed his finger at him with a new determination. "I dare you to tell me you never went there."

Aaron played along – though he looked more serious than entertained – and stared intently at Scott. "I did go there," he said with a calm voice.

"Aha!" Scott yelped.

"For duty, you idiot," Aaron snapped back. "Mostly to check, help, deliver messages, and make sure that no starving teenager squats there."

"I don't buy it. I'm sure you were grabbing some cake, or bun when passing by or that..." My best friend paused instantly, as he glanced at all of us. He then turned to Aaron and gave him what was supposed to be a discreet wink. "Yeah, of course you'll never do that."

The Head Boy let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, obviously giving up the battle for tonight.

* * *

During dessert, when students started to leave their tables to stretch their legs (understand "dance"), the music began to play in the room. Harry apologized and went to Ronald's table, probably to test the water, followed by Cho. Aaron and his dance partner moved away too, as Scott stood up.

"So," he spoke up, as he straightened his vest. "Time for me to give some happiness to a girl."

I furrowed my brows. "You do know that this doesn't sound classy at all, right?"

My friend grinned at me, proud, and walked away.

Taking the opportunity to spend time with Hermione, I suddenly felt impatient to start partying with her.

"Did you eat well?" I asked. My eyes drifted from the center of the room and turned to her. Hermione took her last spoon of her vanilla-cream cake then hastily pushed the plate away, staring up at me. I let out a laugh, as I noticed some cream at the corner of her upper lip. "You did eat well," I stated.

Hermione's face turned surprised, frowning.

I took hold of a napkin then leaned into her. She held her breath, readjusting her eyes from their squinting, as I felt her tense to my sudden proximity. I gently wiped the cream away with the tissue and smiled. I then backed away after smoothing a lock of her hair that hung over her shoulder.

She eventually exhaled the air she was keeping in, as her big brown eyes stared into mine. "Thank you," she whispered.

She stood up, turned her back on me, as she busied herself by pulling her chair to its former position. She turned to me and jumped a bit, when she found me standing with my face close to her.

I raised my hand and smiled. "Would you like to dance?" I asked.

She eyed me with that look of amazement she would only reserve for me – one that I'm sure I would never grow blasé of. She cautiously stretched her hand with that delicacy of hers, and then took ahold of mine.

I led her through the Hall to a free spot. I rested my palm on her thin waist and started moving. Trying to keep a constant focus on my feet, I eventually looked back at Hermione, who seemed to have never darted her eyes from me. Her look was confident and serene.

"Will you still love me even if I step on your feet?" I questioned, concerned.

A smile illuminated her face, surprised by the contrast of my grave voice and the light subject of my question. "You are doing great, Mr Diggory. I never doubted your dancing abilities."

We kept on moving to the rhythm of the music, our feet and body perfectly coordinated.

"Really, why is that?" I furrowed my brows, curious.

Hermione had an almost imperceptible shrug movement. "I saw you dancing durin the Yule Ball. I must confess," she began, biting her bottom lip, "that the thought of having a dance with you that night crossed my mind."

"I'm flattered," I smiled.

Her revelation shocked me, as I didn't expect it. Hermione had said it casually – maybe even with an amused undertone – but to know that she had thought that when it didn't come to my mind at that time was hurting me.

"I regret we didn't have the chance to make it happen," I earnestly spoke.

Hermione slid her free hand up to my shoulder, grasping it softly. "I don't," she answered back with a nonchalant tone. "This is the way it was supposed to be. I don't think I would like to change our previous lives. Who knows if we would have bonded the same way if we had happened to get acquainted last year. Maybe everything would have been different if you hadn't dated Cho, and if I hadn't gone to the ball with Krum."

The sound of his name, coming from her mouth, and knowing their connection in the past stung my ear, my ego and my heart all at once. Pretty silly and inconsiderate, right? But I couldn't imagine the mere idea of her getting attached to another boy before me, the idea that he had looked at her with some lustful thought was hard to process. But no, no, I think the worse wasn't that this big Byelorussian, -Polish or whatever- guy had feelings for her. It was the fact that she might have grown some for him, as well. I would certainly not blame her for that, or that would make of me the blackest kettle, since I dated Cho right in front of her eyes. I think the person I would blame for this would be me, for not having paid attention to Hermione sooner.

"Oh Krum," I tried to voice leisurely. Unfortunately, it came out like a wry spit. A smile touched Hermione's face. "Did you enjoy his company during the ball?" I asked, putting on my best nonchalant voice.

She was now looking at me with mocking eyes. "He was a good dancer and well-mannered." I carefully listened to her words, trying to focus on their pleasant sonority, in defect of their agreeable meaning. "But I think I have a thing for the former non-complete ghost."

I smiled. Oddly, I had missed this nickname, which had been our private joke for months. Hearing it now was like going back to the, -oddly again- old, good times when we were learning to fall for each other. Hermione seemed to be enjoying using it as well.

"Hmm…that drastically reduces the list of suitors."

"Did I mention he has to be English?" she added, feigning genuine innocence.

I gave her an appreciative nod. "It reduces the number again," I calculated.

"Quidditch captain, popular student, the Golden boy," she continued her description.

I frowned, weighing her criteria. "This boy seems to be an ass."

Hermione chuckled, as she nuzzled up against my chest. I held her tighter, as I kept on waltzing her.

"As long as he makes me happy," she murmured, eventually answering to my pleasantry with an endearing voice that made her look so delicate in my arms.

Her posture, her words, her will to open herself to me with such confidence...all that was heart-warming to me, erasing all the definitely 'silly and inconsiderate' doubts I had a moment before. Hermione and I were now in a warm and private bubble, where no one could slip in and certainly not a Russian, -Ukrainian or whatever- guy.

* * *

The music played one after another, and Hermione and I couldn't make up our minds to stop dancing and separate; or I couldn't make up my mind to let her go. And I wouldn't care less of being judged about it; I had been waiting to have this special evening with Hermione since Dumbledore had announced it. I wasn't going to time my shared moments with my girlfriend now!

"I really like my surprise, by the way," I said, as I scanned her dress and my hand smoothed the fabric.

Hermione smiled. "Do you?"

I nodded. "I was right," I bragged. "I would have loved to see the shopkeeper's face, when she realizes how gorgeous you look in this blue dress. I'm sure she wouldn't have found my suggestion absurd any longer."

Hermione listened to me with a smirk. "I don't like to criticize but...you did shut her up."

We shared a laugh, and then I remembered 'naughty teasing' and thought that now was a good time to bring it up. "Since it's my surprise, does this mean I can unpack it later?" I purred.

Like always, it was a teasing and not an invitation. Hermione's eyes went big, looking totally taken aback by my sudden comment. She then shook her head at me. "Do you really think I haven't understood what's your trying to do? I know you enjoy seeing me blush."

"Oh damn, I'm busted!" I sighed, feigning frustration.

"Besides, you told me the naughty would come later on."

"I guess you're tempting me too much in this dress, so I took the initiative of bringing the naughty sooner than scheduled," I smirked, pretty proud of myself.

"Do you mind if I steal your date for a dance?" a male voice asked seductively.

We both stopped still and turned toward him.

"Didn't you find a girl to dance with?" I asked Scott.

"Not just one. Several girls, but I realized these dances were all dull compared to the great moment I could share with my favourite Gryffindor girl," he smiled.

Hermione chuckled. "I thought Lena was your favourite Gryffindor."

"Please," he huffed. "I like her, but you still remain my number one." Scott whipped his head and slightly slapped my shoulder. "So what do you say? I didn't want to come to this tonight but...she's your girlfriend, not your property. Seriously bro, you have to see her like a person with feelings and a brain, who can make her own decisions and you can't just keep-"

"Stop speaking," I cut him off. I slid my hands down Hermione's arms and squeezed her hands. We both smiled at each other, then I stepped back.

Scott took my spot, gleeful – either about dancing with Hermione or having bothered me? I couldn't tell.

"Good luck with him. He's going to crush your feet."

"Ha-ha." Scott sneered. "Lame attempt, Jealous Boy!"

I laughed and walked through the Hall to get to the drinks buffet.

I stood by the buffet and scanned the room, looking at people dancing and interacting with each other. They were all enjoying the party, having fun, and I couldn't wish for anything better. Dumbledore would be glad as well.

"I can't believe he took your date from you," Jimmy Bronnan calmly said, as he stood next to me a couple of minutes later.

"Well, you know Scott. He can be pretty persuasive and get whatever he wants..."

"...as long as he shuts his mouth for some time," Jimmy finished. We both scoffed. I watched my girlfriend and best friend dancing to the slow music.

"I wanted you to know," Jimmy added after a pause. "The boys and I are all happy you're back. Getting back your Quidditch captain post. It's like things are back to normal."

I turned my head to look at him. "I already know it," I assured him. My friend nodded with a shy smile.

We turned our attention back to the dance floor. The music was still playing slow and was almost finishing. Scott was doing gentle movements, when he suddenly grabbed Hermione's waist from behind and swayed her backwards. Considering the distance and the music, I watched when she let out a squeal of surprise, then threw her head backwards and laughed. He then pulled her up to her former standing position.

Jimmy laughed at the sight, as I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his unexpected dance move. When the music ended and everyone started clapping, I left my friend's side to go back claim my girl.

"Always trying to impress girls, are we?" I said as I stood next to them.

"Just ending the dance on a high note," Scott defended, moving his brows up and down at me in a teasing way.

"Well, congratulations. I'm impressed," I stated with an impassible tone of voice he would recognize as my response to his pleasantry. "Didn't you hear the clapping? It was all for you, mate."

"Did a girl cry due to overwhelming emotions?" he played along with a smirk.

I huffed. "A boy cried. Now go check on him and walk away from me."

Scott walked away, waddling, as I happily got my girlfriend back.

* * *

The night went on: Hermione and I danced, took a break, and chatted with friends. Then Harry asked Hermione for a dance, while Scott and Ginny also had their moment.

Just when I got Hermione back, Aaron and his plus-one joined us. "The courtesy wants me to ask the guest of the ball to have a dance," he turned to my direction with a wry smile. "Of course, I think I would enjoy it better if I asked the second honored person." He held his hand up to Hermione "May I?" he questioned us both.

I nodded with a polite smile, then he took Hermione away. I did the same and led McCoy's date to the center of the room.

After the dance, I thanked my dance partner and slowly walked toward Hermione, eager to spend some privileged and quality time with her. Wasn't that the point of this ball? Aaron made a formal curtsey, holding up her hand. I appreciated his appropriate gesture instead of doing the classical hand-kissing with the lips actually touching the skin, which is sort of more intimate.

Hermione's face radiated with a smile when she saw me and her fingers reached for my hands. "He's such a gentleman," she said with a low voice turning her gaze to McCoy's direction, obviously charmed by his good manners.

I nodded in agreement: Aaron McCoy was the archetype of a well-mannered, wise boy. He was mature, considerate and educated. The Head Boy's badge had been hanging over his head, since he entered the school. I didn't doubt a great career was also hanging somewhere above him, as well.

"You want to go outside?" I asked Hermione before any other friend, or schoolmate felt the uncontrollable desire to ask my girl for another dance.

Hermione nibbled her bottom lip and nodded.

We had merely gotten a few steps away from the crowd whe I saw a tiny and thin silhouette standing by the doors, trying to hide while scanning the room. I frowned, surprised, and quietly walked to get behind her. "What is a young lady like you doing roaming the castle at night?" I asked with a lecturing tone.

The little girl jumped in surprise, afraid, then cooled down when she recognized me. The satisfaction of having found what she was seeking glittered in her eyes. It was Julia: the second-year girl, my young not-so-secret admirer since all the Hufflepuff House was aware of her crush on me.

"Please don't tell anyone I'm here. We're all supposed to be sleeping now," she pleaded.

Hermione and I shared a smile.

"No worries, I won't tell," I said, then bent a bit to get to her height. "So what are you doing here?"

The young girl started fidgeting, as if I pushed on an invisible button when I asked my question.

"Well...Iwaslookingforyou," she mumbled, gazing down at the floor. Silence followed her words. "I was looking for you," she repeated in a whisper. "To congratulate you, like the others did."

"Well, thank you, Julia."

She nodded then her eyes turned back to the Great Hall. "Do you think we'll have a ball, too?" she asked. "I would love to be asked for a dance."

"I'm sure it will happen," I said as I stepped forward.

The girl let out a sigh. "But when? There won't be any more Tri-wizard tournament, so no more Yule Ball."

"Then what about now?" I proposed. She jumped in surprise.

"You mean with you?" she babbled.

I nodded.

"I would like that." She smiled then tilted her head to catch a glimpse of Hermione. "May I?" she asked her with sparkling eyes.

Hermione glanced at me then back to her. "Of course. Besides, I just remembered Ginny was waiting for me. I'll leave you two." She made her way back to the main room and her hand brushed my upper arm. "Take care of her," she whispered making sure that Julia would hear her anyway.

I nodded and turned to the young girl who was waiting for me with a flush on the cheeks.

* * *

**HPOV**

The night wore on, and just like after the Yule ball, the orchestra left the place to rhythmic music. The Great Hall was still mainly crowded, and I was enjoying myself a lot more than I had expected. Tonight was really about celebrating, having fun, and being happy. All problems seemed to disappear; even Dumbledore's absence and the pain that was coming with it was forgotten for this night.

Cedric was amazing with me. His eyes seemed to be solely turned in my direction (as Ginny commented when I joined after letting him dance with the young Hufflepuff girl). All evening, he had taken good care of me, making feel like I was the only person who would get all his attention: he was considerate, holding my waist when we were standing, discreetly caressing the palm of my hand under the table during the dinner. He was making me laugh, whispering to my ear how beautiful I was to ease any uncomfortable feeling I could have had during the ball.

Cedric was dazzling: his suit, his hair, his natural elegance. I was both proud and impressed to be at his arm.

I remember feeling content when I walked up the path with Krum, how the girls were staring at me with envy or jealousy, how important I felt to be with a tri-wizard competitor, with a popular and admired Quidditch player. Now all these feelings were a tenth of what I was having right now with Cedric: I was joyful, glee radiating from the inside to the outside of my body. I wasn't seeing him as the Golden boy, nor as the Quidditch captain or The-boy-who-died. I saw him as the boy I am in love with.

We were dancing now, Cedric twirling me then pulling me back to him. I could feel him gently smelling in my hair whenever I was close. Every new twirl was bringing a new fit of giggle, and yet every new twirl was like a rending: I hated being apart from him, each contact of our two bodies was like finding back home, the place where I felt completely safe.

At some point of the night, students started to leave the Hall, walking back their date to their dorms or extending the quality time in another intimate place.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy, as the last rhythmic dances had warmed up the Hall. The need to have some fresh hair was soon being embraced by our schoolmates.

Speaking of embraces, Cedric's hands had greedily taken possession of my waist, as I was slowly swaying my hips to the rhythm of the song. His face in my neck, as he was smelt the scent of my skin.

I slightly turned my head and surprisingly found Scott dancing with my Gryffindor peer, Lena Harris. I let out a giggle.

Both Cedric and him reacted to my laugh and turned their heads. Cedric raised an eyebrow, as the latter gave us a discreet thumbs-up then looked the other way. I shook my head at his silliness then turned back to my previous focus.

I was hot. I needed fresh hair. I wanted to be out and breathe freely again. Cedric twirled me once again then pulled me closer, his hand resting on the small of my back. I felt like my whole skin was flushing from the heat. I breathed hard.

"Let's get out of here," Cedric said to me with a husky voice. "I want to have you all to myself."

I immediately nodded. He took hold of my hand and eagerly led me out.

We were rushing in the corridor, as if we were in the midst of escaping something dangerous. I was in a giggling mood, the exhilaration feeling overwhelming me. From what I could tell, Cedric was in the same state, though his pupils seemed to be darker than usual – as if a second feeling was taking ahold of him. An unfamiliar feeling that boys weren't usually addressing to me. What was it? I was not sure, but Cedric was avidly staring at me, as if I was the water to his rough thirst.

Just when we reached the outside, I took a plain inhalation of fresh oxygen, a smug smile on my face. Cedric, who was still holding my hand, impulsively pulled me to him. The giddiness from switching from a hot to a cool air made me waver in a big circle. When I was in front of him, his hand took a firm yet gentle grasp of my face, and he crushed his lips against mine. They seemed to be needy of me, slowly then more and more passionately kissing my mouth.

When we both needed air, he pulled apart, his thumbs running back and forth on my cheek.

"Merlin, I've been waiting for this kiss all the night" he exhaled.

Even his voice was full of this unfamiliar feeling. Did I like it? Yes.

I smiled and covered his hand with my palm, giving it a soft squeeze. "Well, you have me now," I murmured.

He looked into my eyes and slightly smiled. He then leaned in again and kissed me some more.

I reluctantly pulled away. "Somebody could catch us here," I warned "Didn't you talk about the Oak tree?"

Probably weird that I knew about the Coax tree and always thought it to be silly, since I had felt completely enthusiastic at the idea to be taken there by Cedric ever since he had mentioned it in his letter.

He nodded. His hand reached for mine, intertwining our fingers, and took me to the place.

We had the bad surprise to find a couple already hugging beneath.

Cedric seemed to be stabbed as if that sighting would ring the end of our evening, that he would have no choice but walk me back to my room and kiss me goodnight. He wanted the night to go on and so did I.

"Let's go somewhere else," I said, squeezing his hand.

"Where?" he asked, incredulous, apparently knocked down by this unexpected turn of events.

"Just follow me," And I started leading the way.

We came back into the castle, Cedric still not figuring out where we were going. We stopped in front of a wall. I thought of a room where Cedric and I could have rest, just like the first time I had brought him there. The door to the Room of Requirement appeared and entered.

The bedroom was just like in my memory; it was the exact same one we had both slept in after the Resurrection Spell.

This place, which was supposed to be sort of romantic, had the effect of a cold shower on Cedric. His former passionate and longing mood was replaced by a controlled placidity.

He came and sat on the bed next to me, quiet. I rushed to him, insatiable, fully kissing him on the lips. He did kiss me back, cupped my face, brushed my hair but it was so wise now.

I looked him in the eyes and noticed they had lost a bit of their dark color from the moment before. I felt like all the sensations that Cedric had flooded up to the surface were now splashed by his own hand. I wanted to experience that euphoria again. I wanted to arouse these feelings in Cedric again. I wanted him to look at me as if I was the only person he has ever longed to be close with before. And I wanted him to know I was feeling the same way about him, that I have never craved for any other boy but him. And that I wanted this to be permanent.

"Cedric, I..." I started. "I've been thinking about a lot of things lately. And tonight, with this ball, it just confirms them to me more."

He furrowed his brows.

"I want to bond with you. I know I want this to last, and you were right: when you're sure about such a thing, the details don't matter anymore. I could have lost you for good, before trying out the potion during the trial. And I don't want that to happen. Ever." I moved closer to him, holding his hand. "And seeing you here, handsome in this suit and so fit. It still dazzles me like the first night," I whispered. "When I saw you interact with this little girl, I knew I was the luckiest girl in the world. I shouldn't focus on what people think of our relationship because I know it is right. When I see you, I don't doubt anymore."

Cedric looked focused on my every word, then he stared at me and mirrored all the feelings I had just told him about.

"Do you have your wand?" I asked.

He nodded and gently plunged his hand into his pocket.

"Do you remember that spell I found you practicing over? I think of an object and you make it appear?" He nodded. "Then do it."

I took a long inspiration and started thinking of the object, of how meaningful it would be, of how I wanted it to be.

Cedric twirled the wand, one hand open. He then pointed it at his palm and slowly a ring appeared. The sight made my heartbeat take a new race. He put his wand back in his pocket then delicately held the ring between his fingers as if it could break.

He held it up to me unsure if he should smile or not. "So is that a yes?" he murmured, with a hoping grin.

I glanced at the ring then back at him. "It's a 'it starts off pretty well for a yes'," I corrected, amused.

Cedric scoffed at the pleasantry, and then remained quiet a few seconds, considering my words, the compromise I was doing right now. I couldn't barely say yes and get married the day after. I needed time and for the circumstances to be better, but I was ready to handle the engagement situation.

"Then I guess it's already a big victory," he conceded. He slid the ring around my finger then intertwined our hands. He tenderly pecked my lips then held me tight.

I stroked the back of his hair, broke the embrace and plunged my eyes into his grey ones. I slowly brushed his jawline with my fingertips. Then they smoothed his lips. I stared at him one last time and kissed him.

He kissed me back gently. I slowly stood up from the bed a bit, never breaking the kiss, and brought my knee up on the mattress to get closer to him. He held his head up to fit my new height, as I placed my arms around his neck. The unknown sensations -that I was becoming more and more familiar with since the last 30 minutes- progressively emerged back.

That's when Cedric chose to pull apart. "Hermione," he whispered. "I think we should slow things down."

He voiced the uneasiness I suspected him to have since we entered the Room of Requirement.

"I don't want to do this anymore," I protested. I cupped his face, drawing circles with my thumbs. "I told you I want to bond with you."

I then thought of Ginny's advice. She was right, when I would be ready, I would know. "I'm ready, now."

Cedric carefully held my hand, free of any physical desire, the gesture was unadulterated tenderness. "Are you sure? Just because you took the ring, it doesn't mean that you have to think you must give that to me," he sighed. "You know I want to share this moment with you. A lot. But you don't owe me anything. It's your choice."

I brushed his hair back, smiling. "I know that. And I've made my choice."

I stared at him longingly, making sure he could see my determination to take our relationship to a new level. I hoped that would comfort him and break him free from his own barriers (mostly mine).

He nodded slightly and fully kissed me on the lips. My fingers clutched his strong jaw, as he seemed to hesitate to lean closer. I had to make the first move again, make him see I was ready and willing. With my free hand, I tried to help myself up to lay on the bed. Cedric surrendered: he grabbed my hips and ardently pushed me up on the bed as he climbed up too, now on his knees.

I folded my legs up, close to his waist, as I ran my fingers through his hair. In need of oxygen, I broke the kiss and inhaled, as Cedric started to lay burning kisses all the way down my throat to my collarbone. He was breathing hard, his air tickling my skin. His head lifted up and returned to my face. He lingered on the spot beneath my earlobe sending a new discharge of electricity through my body. He then trailed down kisses along my jawline and under my chin.

He paused not more than a second and opened his mouth, catching my lips between his. I moaned against his mouth and laid down, drawing him to me. He put his body weight on one forearm as his second hand reached down my leg. He then gently slid it between the upfront slit of my dress. His smooth fingers took hold of my bare knee and lifted it up as the rest of the fabric slipped entirely off my leg, now exposed.

I took his suit jacket off and unknotted his bow tie.

My skin was on fire, and the exhilaration was at its peak. My previous state after leaving the great Hall was nothing compared to what I was feeling right now. Cedric was arousing sensations in me I had never thought I could ever feel. Sliding the straps down my shoulders and his hand slowly roaming over my thigh, he stopped to whisper my name in my ear with passion and most of all tenderness. He then lifted his head, taking a break, as he stared into my eyes for several seconds, stroking my cheek with delicacy, as if I was breakable. He then kissed me, touched me, worshipped me, as if I was the most precious thing in this world. And finally, murmuring an "I love you" in my ear, he made me his.

* * *

**Action is starting in the next chapter. ;)**


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